Jumbled Feelings
by snowdrop03
Summary: It is one emotion not even a million of words are enough to describe, still. But then at this point, everything else doesn't really matter anymore. — graylu anthology. #8 : For a second, he has to remind himself how to breathe. (day 1 : graylu week—breathe)
1. Story 1 : Beside Her

**A/N :** My first oneshot ever, please give it a chance.

I'm planning to make a collection of oneshots, short stories, drabble, or whatever you call it involving GraLu. But it will depend on your reviews, whether you like it or not. So...happy reading~

Disclaimer : the amazing Fairy Tail genuinely belongs to Hiro Mashima.

*sorry for the spelling or grammar mistakes*

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><p><strong>#1 : Beside Her<strong>

_Nineteen_.

...

...

_Twenty_.

...

...

_Twenty one_...

...

Gray counted inwardly as his left knee collided softly with the blonde girl beside him every...five seconds, if he had not mistaken the rhytm. Whenever the train vibrated a little bit harder (courtesy of whoever had found the railway), the girl's right knee would touch his and send that weird tingly feeling accross his whole body. Lucky that he was wearing his trousers and not his boxer, or else their skin might contact directly and he didn't dare to think how it would turn out.

The boy must admit, that he had been quite freaky for the last 5 minutes, and maybe had turned as idiotic as a certain dragon slayer, or maybe even worse. What could you call a teenage boy who mentally counted how many times the skin of the girl beside him made a physical contact? And he had only known her for barely a day. A pervert. That may suited him.

The said girl, Lucy, was not wary of the fact though, to Gray's relief. She had been concentrating on whatever scenery the moving vehicle's window had been offering, not even paying attention to what had caused his inner conflicts, or so he thought. Gray could even hear Happy purring as the blue cat took a nap comfortably on the blonde's lap.

_Speaking about moving vehicle_, he shifted his gaze from...actually nowhere in particular, to his other two companions on his opposite.

The stoic Titania too, had her eyes where Lucy had been gazing, possibly deep in thought about the mission they were going to accomplish. And the same with the celestial mage, she too had someone who practically 'invaded' their laps, who so happened to be the knocked out Natsu, the reason why this had happened in the first place. Him and his stupid motion sickness.

That entertaining syndrome of his (for Gray) apparently had made Erza to be quite concerned. So, she told the pathetic boy to switch places with Lucy who was originally beside her, only to have Natsu being punched by her oh-so beautiful armor-shielded fist, flat on his also pathetic stomach. And that was it. Natsu Dragneel was out of cold. On Erza's lap.

He shivered at those recent memories. He was an ice mage. Supposedly, nothing could make him shiver.

But the ice alchemist was a little...what you could say... glad about his current condition. Why? He didn't know. Maybe he was content that he didn't have to seat beside his pathetic puking frienemy, or rather beside Erza who would have a closer access to chop him up to pieces once his shirt miraculously disappeared.

Gray then noticed that he had stopped counting. And he began to think that maybe his sanity had came back. But he still felt kind of nervous as the hitting rythm hadn't stopped, which had been the real reason he was counting. To hide his nervousness it seemed.

_Nervous?_ Gray almost snorted. He, Gray Fullbuster was nervous? Just because of that stupid thing? Nah. No way. Not possible. It was totally out of character of him.

But, if he _was_ nervous or rather if he _disliked_ it, why didn't he just move his feet to the position her knee couldn't reach?

Suddenly, something plopped on the edge of his shoulder, startling him from his merely analysis. Surprised, he looked at the source of light plump, and there Lucy was, sleeping soundly, her cheek leaning against him for support.

He froze temporarily, not literally of course, because he could have.

She was too close, that was for sure. And because of that, he could notice her long eyelashes, her puffy red cheeks, her pink lips parting slightly as she breathe, and her golden-like hair framing her face. She was simply adora- he couldn't even bring himself to say it. A strand of blonde hair was flailing on her face, and Gray almost had the urge to remove it behind her ear. This thought, or rather the even closer physical contact had Gray feeling a little warm inside, even his shoulder, cheeks, and ears had felt warmer.

He almost stripped because of the sudden temperature change as he began clenching on his shirt. Almost, because he had stopped when he felt a pair of piercing stares to his front and instantly knew who they belonged to.

As he turned his head, he had expected to see a glaring red head but found an amused Erza instead. Her lips formed the slightest hint of smirk, and from the glints of her eyes as she eyed him and the sleeping girl, he knew she was teasing him.

He ignored her, or at least tried to, until he heard Lucy murmuring something barely audible in her sleep before returning to her calm yet _cute_ expression with eyes still closed...wait, did he just thought of her being 'cute'? He didn't know what his strange head was thinking anymore. It was getting hotter for him in any second for some reason, but he had to put up with it. He didn't want to strip in front of Erza, or he definitely had to bid his precious life a sad good bye.

The black-haired boy finally gave up, as he once more concentrated on counting. He didn't have any choice. It was the only thing that could distract him from pulling up his shirt, to distract him from Erza's still amused stare, and more importantly to distract him from the clueless Lucy who had encircled her arm around his, like some kind of bolster. Clearly tired of the conflicts in his poor brain plus his insane counting, his eyes were starting to droop and he stopped counting at ten with a yawn escaping his lips.

He was relieved that his mind was becoming more and more hazy. Because if that happened, he wouldn't have to care about anything anymore as slumber will surely come. And he knew it would knock some senses into his head once he'd woken up. He knew he was lucky that Happy wasn't awake or he would definitely be teased even more for his current posture. But for now he just didn't care.

With one last glance to -he finally admitted- Lucy's _cute_ face. He closed his own eyes, letting sleepiness won over him. This time, a smirk made its way through his feature. Lucy's warmth enveloped him as he enjoyed the simple yet weird comfort.

For the first time of his life, Gray was genuinely glad to have a scary woman and an idiotic motion sickness sufferer as his train-trip companions. For the first time in his life too, he had actually favoured a higher temperature.

He didn't know why. All he knew was that deep down, he'd definitely treasure that moment, that warmth.

Beside her.

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><p><strong>AN** : Okay, that was a little lame -_-, even the title is quite random.

The idea just popped in my head when I was studying and I just couldn't get it off my mind, so here it is. It supposed to occur just a day after Lucy joined Fairy Tail I guess? When they're going on that mission to retrieve the freaky flute or something? Basically, when the foursome went for a mission together for the first time (chapter 11 in the manga / Lullaby arc). So it occurred after Erza gave some explanations about the mission.

And it's my first time writing in 3rd POV on a fanfic, so I don't blame you if you find it weird. But anyhow, I hope you like it.

should I do more? Review please :))

~snowdrop03


	2. Story 2 : Sick? I

**A/N** : Hiya! My second story is here. Glad you like the first one. Well, this one's theme is a bit cliche as you can guess from the title itself, but I just couldn't stand but to write it. So, here goes nothing!

Reply to the anon :

**TheAddicted** : I'm happy that you liked it. Well, I hope this one is to your liking though the theme is a bit cliche. Thanks for your review XD

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><p><strong>#2 : Sick?<strong>

Gray shifted uncomfortably on the stool he was sitting on. One of his palms was ruffling through his jet black hair, supporting his head on the bar's wooden table. His other hand was playing with a small silver spoon absentmindedly as he dipped and stirred it into his nearly-melted vanilla ice-cream.

Barely after a minute, he gazed at the guild clock like he had done for almost ten times, before finally shrugging and moving his stare to his morning dessert that had melted completely.

He knew it. He was bored.

Raising his left hand from the table, he put his palm just above his dessert, hovering the container. In seconds, his cold fingers turned tingly as cold mist began to surround the white swirling liquid, freezing it to a perfect cold temperature, just as Gray faved. The raven haired boy sighed as the cold mist disappeared, suddenly finding the ice cream not as appetizing anymore, which was very strange.

Something was amiss that early day. Yes, it was still morning, and it was not like the ice mage disliked the rare peaceful moment. It wasn't the schedule for the rowdy dragon slayer to pop in out of nowhere, or the time for other rather 'insane' members to show themselves up. The guild was usually at its liveliest stage by noon, when its members come by for lunch and to do their daily brawl, which for some reason had been an irreplaceable tradition that he participated in too.

His mind shuffled on every other sane member who would only watch on the sidelines with shaking heads and sweat drops, and somehow he considered himself one. Screw his stripping and fighting habit, he was perfectly normal compared to the blockhead whose name he didn't need to mention. Sane...huh? His mind then stopped on a certain celestial mage. That was it! That exactly what was amiss. The blonde girl would usually visit by nine o'clock sharp, not that he was observing or anything, but it had always been so. She would be his morning companion on the bar, sometimes whining something about her rents, or how Natsu and Happy would invade her personal property to whoever had heard her, which so happen to be Mira and himself. Weird enough that her whining had never reached the border of them being 'annoying'. In fact, Gray found her mood swings and expressive attitude entertaining and fun to watch. It seemed that he had become too accustomed to that morning ritual to the point that he actually missed it?

It had been a week since Lucy had gone for her first solo mission. He didn't know what kind of job it was, but he knew Lucy would not go for a dangerous request, especially by solo. But for it to take a week, it was quite long. He did trust in Lucy's ability, but what if something went wrong?

But then again, Gray thought as he ignored his last -considerably stupid- train of thought, where is Lucy?

"I wonder where Lucy is...," a smooth tone in front of him voiced his mind out loud and it almost made the black-haired boy to fall from his sitting position. Did someone possess a mind-reading ability?

Apparently not.

That someone turned out to be none other than the silver-haired barmaid, who had popped out of nowhere behind the bar. Maybe from the kitchen, but it seemed that Gray had been too deep in thought of a certain someone that he hadn't noticed. Mira's blue orbs shone in amusement at Gray's reaction. Was he thinking what she was thinking?

"If I remembered correctly, her mission is quite simple. But for it to take a week...," she added on purpose, left it hanging then glanced at Gray.

Gray frowned a bit, after recovering from his shock, but said nonchalantly, "Lucy's strong. Maybe the train is delayed or something or-"

**BAM!**

The boy's self-reassurance speech was then interrupted with a loud banging of the guild door and in two seconds he had a perfect idea of who it was. Only two possibilities.

One, a certain pink-haired idiot who never enter the guild like a normal person.

Two, he gulped, it also might be a furious Titania whom he wouldn't deny he was a little bit scared of (okay, maybe more than a little bit), remembering the fact that she had broken the poor door into pieces the last time she was in a bad mood, possibly in her time of the month. But he knew better not to ask, unless he wanted his life to be endangered by her beautiful, shiny, yet menacing sets of weapon.

"Natsu! How many times do I have to tell you not to break the door?" His two possibilities had turned to be right. Both of them _were_ there. And clearly the red head had forgotten how often she herself had broken the door on her every PMS.

The boy had expected his rival to stutter a word of apology like usual, but instead he heard a stomping approaching and a rather grouchy voice addressed to him, "Oi stripper boy, we're going on a mission."

The said boy turned from his seat to face the dragon slayer's current sulking form with his blue loyal exceed companion flying above. And strangely, Happy's usual happy face had turned to a worried one.

"Mission?" Gray asked with brows slightly crooked, he shifted his eyes around the guild, expecting to see a certain celestial mage, but found none. He even forgot to be offended, or to counter Natsu's insult. For some reason, Gray found himself feeling a bit of...disappointment. Gray shook his head lightly at the nagging feeling. She was his nakama, maybe he was just worried. Yeah, that was all.

"Natsu, Erza, Happy, welcome," Mira smiled at the threesome, still eyeing Gray in amusement, "Has Lucy come back from her mission?"

Natsu only huffed in annoyance, so Happy answered, "Lucy's sick."

"Sick?" Gray blabbed out, unaware of his too-fast question. So she had come back after all, why didn't they tell him?

"A fever. But it's completely harmless," Erza added while folding her arms, "Maybe she's tired from her mission."

This time Natsu opened his mouth, "It's not fair! She promised to go with us today!" After speaking his protests out, he puffed his cheeks in annoyance, then stomped away to the direction where the requests board was.

"Poor Lucy, she's completely flushed and alone at her apartment," Happy whined, his head and wings hung down.

Gray eyed him in confusion, "Then why we're still going on a mission?"

"We must help her pay the rent which is due to tomorrow," Erza answered simply.

"Did she go on a mission?" Mira chipped in, a glass and white cloth in each hand, which no one knew where it had appeared from.

Erza sighed and folded her arms, "Currently, the pay is still not enough."

_Not enough?_ Gray crooked his eye brows questioningly, "So? Who's taking care of her?"

"She'll be fine by herself I assume," The exquip mage nodded, but she eyed him constantly, as if waiting for him to say something, "It's more efficient for someone sick to rest without noise anyway."

Taking another already shiny glass (what's the point of wiping it?), Mira added, "If I recall, Levy is going on a mission with Gajeel, Lily, and her team. Lisanna and Juvia too," she trailed off with a sad smile, "Bisca is on a date with Alzack. And I think Wendy is going somewhere with Charle...I really want to take care of Lucy, but there'll be no one who could replace me on the bar..."

Gray's frown deepened. If he remembered, there had been one time that Lucy caught a fever too. But that time, and it seemed that he had been too excited for the hanami to even know. He felt really guilty all of a sudden, even that flame head as reckless as he was, had managed to uproot the Sakura tree and 'float' it along the river to cheer her up. The girl had possibly been very lonely in the most of her lifetime, seeing how her deceased father had treated her in the mansion before. Who had been taking care of her if she was sick? Her maids?

"So she'll be alone then?" Mira asked, a bit louder, "Can one of you stay?"

Again, the Titania nodded, "I want to. But I had promised Master to keep neither Gray or Natsu on track, so they won't destroy anything," she glared at the flinching Gray before adding, "I think Natsu has no idea how to take care of someone sick. And Happy is a cat."

"Hey! I have wings!" Happy chimed in, a bit offended.

Gray finally had it. Clenching his fist unconsciously, he said, "I won't go."

With that words being spoken out, the threesome jerked their heads to him, a bit surprised.

"Why?" Erza asked, and somehow she was smirking, along with Mira who had that slightly devilish smile on her face. Gray really wanted to bury himself alive, because somehow the pair of S-class mages had really scared him or rather embarrassed him to death (Okay, exaggeration here). How could she ask when she already knew the answer? For a usually laid-back ice mage, it was hard to admit such thing.

"I-," he swallowed while thinking for a perfect reasonable reason, "I have...some kind of business, ah yeah an appointment! So I can't."

Okay, maybe it wasn't that perfect. But it was quite reasonable...right?

The group stared at him like hours, and it made him more nervous to the point that he almost stripped, which he only knew better not to. Mira and Erza still had their smiles on and Happy pondering with his widened already-wide eyes, which then lit up in mischief.

"Ooooh. I get it," He snickered, putting his paw on his mouth, "Gray wants to be alone with Lu-omph!

Whatever Happy wanted to say which was quite obvious, but not to Gray (whose head could be as dense as Natsu sometimes), was interrupted by Erza by putting her armored hand on Happy's mouth. Poor cat, he looked he was getting more bluish in any minute, and he was already blue!

"I get it."

"W-what?" Gray stammered. Either too relieved that Erza had eaten his excuse, or even more scared at the expression she was giving him.

"Check on Lucy on your way, okay?" She said again, before walking to Natsu who seemed to have decided their mission, with Happy still tight and struggling in her arm. Check on her on his way? That was a good excuse actually. But, her last three words left him wondering.

"Good luck, Gray."

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><p>Lucy sighed as she pulled out the white thermometer from her lips. Her mouth had seriously become stiff from keeping the temperature-measurer stick from falling.<p>

"This sucks."

That was right. The day seriously sucked for the female mage, or more specifically her week sucked. A lot.

It sucked a lot that she wish she could have ask Aquarius to drown her client's mansion, with her being drown along as the risk. Or maybe she should have ask Taurus (just to be safer) to chop that man's shiny baldy head with his axe. She sure would love to see what shape his big head would turn out. If he still had one.

The blonde mage huffed, sending feverish warm breath from her mouth. Okay, maybe she was a bit exaggerating and sadistic, or maybe her nakama's destructive violence had really rubbed on her, but who could blame her?

She, Lucy Heartfilia, had climbed up a freezing mountain (no one informed her about this) on her first day, only clad in her blue jeans jacket as her only warmer object in order to retrieve her client's lost marriage ring. You could imagine how the former heiress had visited the snowy mountain three days straight with no slightest result to the point she actually had decided to camp there. So she packed herself the warmest scarf and coat she could find in the store, food supplies, and her warm sleeping bag and set a camp in a small cave beyond the mountain. To her glee and irony, she had found the ring on her first day of camp, surprisingly with the help of Plue who had accidentally sighted it by the time the cute spirit was playing in the snow.

But it was true that luck hadn't been by her side at that time.

As she delightfully prepared to go down from the mountain, suddenly a huge, white storm took away her every chance to leave that day.

So she waited. With teeth-teetering, food supplies diminishing, and the small flicker of fire she got from her matches and some branches she had collected the other night.

She waited. Too patiently, until the storm had finally gone...two days later. With sprained muscles, exhausted mentality, curses, but still a thousand thankies to God, she went to her client's mansion to give him the thing he was looking for.

Sadly for her, the baldy fat man wasn't even grateful. He said that she ran out of the due time because his wife had come back from her trip, had found out that his husband lose the ring, and had refused to talk to him for a month.

She meant, seriously? Lucy couldn't really blame the woman. Maybe she really was heart-broken, or mad, and she had the right to feel so. But come on, shunning his husband for a month for losing a ring? The blonde never expected that adults could be that...childish.

The thing that angered Lucy was that the grumpy man had poured all his irritation to Lucy by reducing her supposedly 150,000 Jewels reward to 60,000 Jewels for late submission charge.

The first three words that had come to her mind was 'What. The. Hell?' She had gone through so much trouble to get that ring! And it was not her fault that the storm had decided to visit the mountain for two days straight! To say the teen was irritated was a little understatement. She was furious! His mansion wasn't even half of her former home, not trying to be cocky, but how could he be so...stingy? Annoying? Ungrateful?

At first she thought that she'd be able to save around 80,000 J for next month's rent or for shopping which she had rarely done because of certain circumstances. She had decided to go solo, so that she could receive the reward wholly, without any minus because of some maintenance charge. The harsh fact was that she still needed 10,000J for her not to be kicked out of the apartment, and it was due tomorrow.

She had been desperate to go on another mission but was forbid flatly by Erza who visited with Natsu and Happy the day she came home to announce that she had caught a high fever. She hadn't even known, maybe anger, or rather the fever itself, had knocked out all her senses.

Oh how grateful she was that Erza had offered to help her by taking a mission with Natsu and Happy. She felt kind of bad for Natsu though. She really had promised the pink-haired boy to go on a team mission after she got home. And boy, it was hard to convince her protective nakama to let her go solo in the first place.

**Knock-knock**

"Uugh."

_Who's here?_ Lucy thought, as she groaned and attempted to get up. The whole room was spinning the second she got on her feet. She clenched her pounding head in dismay and walked, or rather swayed, towards the door.

As she opened the door, her eyes widened, "G-Gray?"

She wasn't expecting this. Or him specifically.

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><p><strong>AN** : I split this story into two, so it wouldn't get too long. And I promise you there"ll be lots more GraLu fluff in the next chapter. This chapter is basically the intro, or explanation you may say.

Please review and tell me what you think, so I can continue :D

*anyway, for my other fanfic reader 'Hollow', I had republished chapter 7 due to some error if you haven't noticed.*

~snowdrop03


	3. Story 3 : Sick? II

**A/N** : Part 2 is finally here~

And longer than part 1 to be exact. Thanks for reviewing and alerting till this far anyway. Hope you enjoy this chapter :D

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><p><strong>#3 : Sick? <strong>(part II)

"G-Gray?"

Her voice almost sounded like a squeak, though its volume was just barely a whisper. Gray observed Lucy in front of him, and almost wished that he hadn't knocked in the first place. He should have barge in from the window, or her fire place, or whatever, anything that wouldn't make the sick girl to get up from her bed. The blond was clad in her pajamas, with cheeks totally flushed, huffing and puffing and her usually neat hair in disarray. He could even see some black rings under her eyes. Just what mission had she taken?

"Gray?" The girl's confused voice brought him back down his own mind, "What are you-"

But she never got to finish her question, as her body suddenly felt limp for a second.

"Whoa," Gray quickly extended his arm to catch the swaying girl and was shocked with how hot she was. And he didn't mean that kind of 'hot', though he could use it too, "Whoa. Hot."

"Of course, Mr Obvious," he could hear Lucy playfully muttered as she struggled to stand straight, "I am having a fever."

"...I shouldn't have knocked," Gray's brow furrowed in worry.

"Huh?" Lucy blinked, clearly didn't get what he meant. Her eyes widened as Gray scooped her up, picking her up bridal-style, and walked to Lucy's bedroom.

"Gray!" Lucy protested with cheeks blazing, which to her luck was covered by her flushing face due to the fever, "I can walk myself you know!"

"Yeah right," Gray rolled his eyes, still walking towards Lucy's bed with the girl in his arms, "Says someone who nearly fainted at the door."

"I just felt a little dizzy. That's all!" She pouted, cutely, Gray thought. But he quickly dismiss it as soon as that 'insane' revelation came to mind.

"You are sick," Gray stated while tucking Lucy on her fluffy bed, "Sick people should stay in bed. Sorry, I shouldn't have knocked."

Lucy's face was blank for a second before she laughed, "I'm surprised that you even knocked, Gray."

The boy blinked. She was right. Why had he knocked in the first place anyway? Usually he'd just sneaked in through her unlocked windows (unlocking means invitation right?), or sometimes through her chimney (not on the winter of course, or he'd be burned to ashes together with those fire woods, and he didn't mean Natsu).

He was strange that day, he knew perfectly. Seemed like something had really went through his head. Whatever that thing was, it had caused him to go to Lucy's in the first place.

"Helloo, earth to Gray?" Lucy called out, her face full of concern. Once she got his attention she asked worriedly, "You okay, Gray?"

"I'm fine," Gray muttered and shrugged the thoughts off him. For now, what's important was that he should take care of her, "Do you have any small towel?"

After eyeing the stoic boy for a few seconds doubtfully, she sighed and pointed at a small cupboard in the corner of the room, "It's there. The third drawer."

With that been said, Gray made his way to the brown wooden cupboard. As he pulled out the said drawer revealing a pile of cloths, consisiting of small and bigger towels (no lingeries, much to Gray's inner little perv's dismay). He took out a small white thick towel, held two of its opposite ends, then began filling it with ice cubes (sometimes, being an ice mage had its advantages). After doing so, he tied the edges of the towel, so it formed a small bundle.

At the time Gray returned to Lucy's bed side, the girl had drifted to a nap. She really was tired after all. Her sleeping face was so calm that Gray almost didn't have the heart to wake her up. But he should make her eat something first, or she wouldnt be able to take her medicine. So, he pressed the cold bundle gently on her left cheek.

As the towel made its contact to the blonde's skin, she yelped and cracked her eyes open immediately, only to find a smirking and somehow half-naked Gray peering amusedly at her reaction.

Upon noticing the culprit, she commented tiredly, "That was mean, Gray. And you told me that I'm sick."

Gray chuckled, "Sorry, sorry. Here," he placed the bundle on her forehead, "Hold this on your forehead when I'll make you something. Is poridge okay?"

Quickly, Lucy gripped on the bundle before it slid to her side, "Anything's fine...Just don't burn the kitchen or something."

Gray rolled his eyes, "I'm not Natsu. I don't burn things."

"Right. Then don't freeze it," Lucy stared at the male very seriously. Sure, people didn't usually 'freeze' their kitchens. But considering that her comrades were far from the word 'normal', anything could happen.

"Seriously, don't worry, Lucy," Gray reassured her, though he almost laughed at the idea of someone freezing their kitchen, "Just don't sleep, till the food's ready."

"Alright, alright," Lucy waved her hand dismissively and without taking another glance added, "At least, keep your clothes on while cooking."

Gray, who had walked towards the kitchen stopped abruptly and cursed, "Crap! When did that happen?"

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><p>"It will melt soon...right?"<p>

If Lucy saw what was in the sink, she would definitely kill him. And Gray understood it perfectly.

At first, all had gone so well. Gray actually didn't really suck at cooking and had even mastered some simple dishes with poridge being included as one of them.

He had put the right amount of rice and water into the pot, and placed it on the stove that had been turned on with the right temperature. Everyhting had been perfect.

Everything had been right, before he had accidentally touch the hot metal part of the pot (he had been aiming for the holder). Everything had been right, before he had yelped like a girl and on reflex, had frozen the pot as if it had caught on fire and he blamed his extreme sensitiveness to high temperature for it.

"Stupid hot pot," he cursed while sucking his thumb, hoping it would reduce the pain, "Exactly like that two moronic dragon slayers!"

Or rather, he blamed the two elements that his two dragon slayers' friends used, namely metal and fire, which led him to believe that their elements were as annoying as their wielders were.

Gray sighed while pouring his second-trial poridge (that had turned out good to his relief)

to a blue bowl using a ladle. After it was done, he took out a spoon from one of the drawers there and dipped it into the poridge. He huffed proudly. Mission accomplished.

Before leaving the kitchen with the bowl and a glass of water in hand, he took a last glance to the sink, where he had simply dumped the frozen pot while reassuring to himself that it would melt soon, and that Lucy wouldn't kill him. Hopefully.

* * *

><p>When he arrived, unexpectedly, the sick girl had managed to stay awake and had been holding the cold bundle for he didn't know how long, but he supposed it was quite long, considering the little accident and all.<p>

Lucy smiled at him, her cheeks were still flushed as expected, "Oh hey, Gray. What took you-"

She stopped speaking as she absorbed Gray's appearance and laughed heartily, removing the towel from her head.

Gray raised his eyebrow in question, "What?"

Seeing this reaction, she laughed even harder, as hard as a sick person could.

"You-," she snorted, "You look so funny, ahahaha."

The boy stared at her in confusion that Lucy almost choked in her own outburst.

When somehow she could reduce her laughter fits to an amused smile, she teased him, "Is being half-naked in boxers, and wearing a large pink kitchen gloves a new fashion trend?"

At first, Gray didn't get what she just said, but then finally understood as he looked at his own attire. As if on cue, his cheeks warmed up a little, and it caused Lucy to giggle even more. Now that he thought about it, even if he wanted to avoid holding the hot bowl, how come he used pinky gloves (with a teddy on each of them) instead of a tray? It seemed that his grudge to heat had made him utterly stupid.

"Awww. Is Gray Fullbuster blushing?"

Though Gray's blush had deepened, and his embarrassment had increased, deep down he didn't mind Lucy laughing at him. Something about the way she smiled, always made him all warm inside in a strange way. She really was an odd girl, or at least Gray thought so.

"Well, your chef's at your service," getting back his composure, he smirked and teased her back, "Princess."

Lucy blinked and her cheeks turned redder, she really was lucky that her fever had covered the slighest colour change on her cheek.

Noticing Lucy's speechless-ness, he chuckled and placed the food and drink momentarily on Lucy's desk and took off the gloves, "Let me help you sit."

With one arm on her back, and the other arranging the pillow into a comfortable position, he propped Lucy up into a semi-sitting posture.

"Thanks," Lucy murmurred as Gray gave her the warm bowl, of course after he had put on the gloves again.

"Your welcome, Princess," Gray snickered and was replied by Lucy's rolling eyes as she blew the first spoon of the poridge.

"Wow. It's actually quite good, Gray," Lucy complimented after the second spoon, "I've never expected you to be a 'self-cooking' person."

"Living by yourself has its peaks," he answered simply, though no hiding that he was a bit proud inside.

"Natsu didn't," Lucy added and smiled, "You must see what's inside his house like."

"Oh yeah," Gray chortled as he remembered visiting Natsu's house once (he had put some pranks there which resulted a big bloody battle the next day. The blood actually had been caused by Erza who had been 'telling' them to stop). Messy wasn't really a word to describe it. More like a chaos. He stopped when he realized something, "You went to Natsu's?"

"Eh? Well...Long story," Lucy swallowed her food nervously, when she remembered how she wanted to surprise Natsu and Happy at their home in exchange of them breaking into her apartment, but ended cleaning it up instead. (her actual motive wasn't any better than Gray) _(A/N : I forgot which omake.)_

Gray frowned. He suddenly didn't feel right. How come Lucy had ever visited the ash brain's house but not his?

"Now that you mention it, I've never been to your house before," she added after pondering for a few seconds.

That statement stopped Gray's unconsious scowl. So she remembered anyway, "You're welcome anytime," he said, sitting himself in a cross-legged position beside Lucy's bed, "But your house is still the comfiest, Lucy, so don't blame us for barging in."

Lucy huffed, "Sometimes, I just don't understand you guys. You barge in, mess everything up, invade every property I have, go back home, and do it again the next day."

"So...you hate having us around?" Gray asked, but for some reason if you looked at him animatedly, two depressed puppy ears and a tail hung so low had appeared. But it was only if you looked so deeply. Because there was no way Gray Fullbuster would look that pathetic. Or would he?

"It's not that," Lucy quickly countered as she sensed the slightest hint of gloomy atmosphere, "I'm very glad to be hanging around with you all, but well... I don't know...," she laughed it off when she failed on finding the perfect word.

"Gray," Lucy swallowed, "I thought you're going on a mission with the others?"

"I...something came up this morning, so I couldn't," he lied.

"Did I hold you up?" Lucy asked, feeling a bit guilty.

"No. It was done," Gray took Lucy's now empty bowl from her hold, "So, I came to check on you."

Lucy didn't reply at this. She was dumbfouded, yet she was...flattered. She had never expected this side of Gray before. Erza did mention something about someone taking care of her, but she thought it would be Levy, or Lisanna. But to be Gray of all people, it was just unexpected. Sure, he was one of her closest nakama and she knew he was quite kind and all, but still...

"Here, drink it," Lucy's train of thoughts stopped into a halt as a disgusting smell entered her nose. It didn't come from the green liquid on the spoon Gray was holding just in front of her mouth right?

"Um...are you sure it's the right medicine?" Lucy remarked as she tried to back away from the resource of the odour.

Even Gray's nose twitched at the ominous smell, "Sure is. It says so in the bottle."

When Lucy caught sight of the bottle on the table, she cursed inwardly at herself for letting Erza bought it from God-knows-where. She took a mental note to herself to stock 'tablets' cold medicine next time.

"Ehehe. You're not making me drink that, right?" The celestial mage asked nervously.

Unexpectedly, Gray smirked...evilly and it caused Lucy to shiver through her bones, "Oh yes, I am, if you want to heal. Open wiiide, Lucy."

"Um..d-do you think the medicine's a bit suspicious?"

Gray's smirk didn't falter and he moved the somehow-menacing spoon even nearer, "Nope, not at all. The more disgusting a medicine is, the more effective it will be..."

"Ahaha. Seriously, you look like some kind of evil minion," when she realized Gray wasn't kidding she shrieked, "No no NO! Anything but that green scary liquid!"

Gray sighed lightly, "You're not a three-year-old, Lucy. Now, can you just open your mouth..."

"Mmph!" Lucy shook her head stubbornly, both of her hands covering her mouth.

"Well, if you don't want to," Lucy relaxed as Gray moved backwards, but still kept her hands in position, just in case, "I'll read your manuscripts."

"Wait!" Lucy instantly removed her hands when Gray turned his head to her desk, where she had kept the papers.

In that split second, Gray turned his head back to Lucy and pushed the mighty spoon to her mouth, then pulled it away quickly.

"Mmph-mmph!"

That moment, Lucy's face turned greenish, almost as green as the medicine itself. She kept one of her hand on her mouth, possibly preventing herself for puking, while flailing her other hand, signalling for water.

When Gray gave her what she wanted, she gulped the whole glass, and sighed in relief afterwards, then glared at him, "What the hell, Gray? I almost choked to death, you know!"

"It's the only solution," again, he said simply, though inside he was very amused, "How does it taste, anyway?"

"Horrible. Simply horrible. Don't ask," Lucy mutterd so darkly, that Gray laughed a little. She was just entertaining, wasn't she?

"Hey, don't laugh!" Lucy complained, "Wait till you taste it yourself!"

"Sorry," Gray stifled, "Can't help it."

"Really...Erza is truly the master of torturing. She even knew the most horrible cold medicine."

"Pfft. Erza bought it?"

"What do you think?"

"Sounds like her alright."

Both of them laughed after that, but then stayed silent after a few minutes. No body spoke, afraid that it would ruin the almost comfortable companiable silence. Finally, Lucy broke the silence.

"Gray?" She said, while snuggling lower to her blanket.

"Hmm?"

"Glad to have you here. I owe you..and the others too," she trailed off.

"You have never owe us," Gray smirked, propping his back on the edge of Lucy's bed, "You're our nakama, remember?"

Lucy giggled softly, "Happy to hear that. And Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Gray's heart stopped at the last two words been said. When the mage glanced at his blond companion, he found her slumbering soundly. He smiled and took the cold bundle which had fallen on the floor, but then canceled his gesture. Instead, he raised his right hand and covered the blonde's warm forehead and let the slight tingly and cold magic, washing through his fingers. Lucy's warmth tingled his fingers, colliding with the cool temperature he was emitting. It felt surprisingly nice.

And he swore the only thought that had passed his mind was : more efficient. Not that he was taking advantage of being touchy-feely with her being asleep. Yup. Not at all.

Okay, maybe a little. But it didn't mean anything at all.

"Graaaay," Lucy mumbled, but audible enough for Gray to hear. He felt himself going rigid, and Lucy's somehow-sorta sweet smile while mentioning his name didn't help either. Was she dreaming of him?

"Natsuuu," Lucy muttered again.

Gray's dignity dropped extremely low at that name. Of all people, why did he have to be in the same dream with that flicker head? And to think that Lucy finally dreamt of him...he better didn't continue that idiotic assumption.

"Happyyy...Erzaaa."

Not those two again. Wait...did she just say Erza? Gray shivered. That dream must be scary.

Suddenly, Lucy's sleeping face twitched and she pointed her finger upwards (to whoever in her dream was), "Get out of MY apartment!"

As soon as she half-yelled that sentence, her feature relaxed once more, and her hand dropped low to her side.

Gray clutched his stomach and his mouth, holding his laughter. Tears nearly threatened to come out from his eyes. He was again amused, clearly so.

"Mhm...Graay," Lucy mumbled again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here," he chuckled, while patting Lucy's head gently. He stared at her for a moment. She...was undeniably adorable. There, he said it. Her face was so peaceful, almost angelic. Though her cheeks were a little flushed due to the fever and she was mumbling something incoherent again.

Without realizing, he had leaned closer, his breathing hitched. His eyes traveled, catching every details of her blond locks, her closed eyes, her perfect nose, down to her pink lips, and somehow it stopped there. He blinked, his brain blanked. Out of his consience, he moved even closer, eyes still focusing on her lips, and in matter of seconds his lips had crushed on hers with a harsh gesture but in contrast, landed with feather-like touch.

When his closed eyes finally cracked open. Gray blinked. Again.

Once. Twice.

He abruptly raised his head. Blood rising through his ears.

What in the freaking world had _he_ done?

* * *

><p>"Shit," Gray muttered, stirring on his messy bed with his cool hand massaging his warm forehead, "This...is stupid. Laughable. Ridiculous. Yeah, all of that."<p>

He would start form his first considerably-hypothetical word, _stupid_. He assumed that it was incredibly stupid because...he was an ice mage for God's freaking sake! He never did catch any cold or any stupid fever, at least since he was used to Ur's lectures about 'stripping no matter how low the temperature be', which resulted his eccentric habit. No matter how long he spent his time in the fiercest snow storm, he would just pass it off as another normal sunny day.

Yet, Gray considered his situation _laughable_. Yes. Laughable. It was really ironic how he had just taken care of someone sick the day before, but ended up being sick all the same. What did we call it? 'Karma is a bitch'? It could be, because he did have a little not-really-good intention towards her that time (and ended being backfired because of it?) and he didn't need to mention which, he himself was not sure. But maybe it was just life's way of making a simple, coincidental, and hilarious decision of man taking turns on being sick. It was laughable. Just as he had said before. But still, it was far more reassuring than his first theory.

And lastly, _ridiculous_. It was ridiculous because he knew exactly how the damned cold virus, had transfered to his body. Yes, that impulsive, unexplainable, embarrassing, humiliating action of his was the cause, that collision of the certain-part-of-face-just-below-the-nose (he refused to call it a kiss) had been the cause. He was certain of it.

Was he really taking advantage of a girl in her slumber state, moreover taking advantage of her certain-part-just-below-the-nose, and stole probably her _first_, because it had been _his_ first?

He was sinned, or at least that was what Gray thought. But that collision, undeniably felt so...right. Hers were warm and soft, and he couldn't even forget that sensation when it met his.

Gray shook his head vigorously, hiding his spinning head under his pillow (which had been slightly crumpled, due to his current frustration), hoping that the images would just disappear.

Suddenly his door broke open, "Gray!"

See? He could even hear her voice in his head. Even imagining how she would break through his door. He was definitely sick. Definitely.

"Gray?"

Whoa. He could even hear her stomping towards him. Some imagination he had there huh? And not to mention that it felt so real...wait, it was way too real.

At the sudden realization, he removed the pillow and came face to face with the real Lucy (meaning : not one from his so-called imagination), who was too dangerously close.

The girl smiled, "I heard you're sick."

He sat up, too quickly, but regained his composure almost immediately though inside his nervousness had started gnawing him, "Seems so. What...are you doing here?"

Lucy fidgeted her fingers, a small blush was evident on her cheeks, "Uh...I come to check on...you?"

"So, you're better already?" Gray asked casually, or at least tried to as he couldn't even look at her in the eyes. He was nervous, yet happy at the same time. Had she just said that she come to check on him?

"Yup! Thanks to you," but then she downcasted for a moment, "I'm sorry. You must catch the cold from me."

The ice mage suddenly felt guilty, yet a bit ashamed of himself, "It's not your fault. It's the virus'." Actually he was the one partially, he meant mostly at fault. But, blaming the virus seemed so much better at that time.

Lucy shrugged, then turn to his table to put some things she had brought with her, "But still...it's weird for you to catch a cold, Gray."

Gray went stiff at this statement. Memories of yesterday came flooding into him yet again (and he had gotten to forget it for about 3 minutes). He was still able to feel that warm tingly sensation on his you-know-where, and that particular small spark, and how somehow he wanted...more. Just then...something clicked on his mind. Looking at the ceiling, he smirked, "No idea."

Wanting to be touchy feely. Expecting seeing her undies. Staring at her sleeping state. Ki-ssed her. And wanted more. Those descriptions totally matched. He had finally come to a single perfect, analytic, and genius conclusion.

His feelings towards Lucy was because he, Gray Fullbuster had fallen in...

-to the category of being a true pervert and was currently in his peak of puberty state.

...

Yeah that was it. It totally made sense. (No one could blame him. He was assuming theories in a feverish state, or maybe his head was as hard as an ice block he was).

Not that he was admitting that Natsu's and Happy's constant assumptions of him were right, because he insisted they _weren't_.

Gray chuckled silently. Maybe, he would tell her someday. About how he caught the fever that is. He did not know what he was expecting. Maybe he was looking forward to see the look on her face when he said it. Maybe she would be freaking out? Or went on one of her mood swings? Yeah. Maybe, just maybe...he would tell.

"Oh by the way, I brought something with meee~" Lucy sang evilly as she shuffled through the paper bag she had been bringing and took out a bottle of too-familiar green liquid.

Gray gulped, horror-strucked.

Okay, maybe telling her wasn't really a good idea.

Especially if she would be mad about it. Who knew what she would do to him, even worse than this? No denying that somehow she could be as scary as Erza (the Titania's aura was just so contagious).

He would tell her some other-other-other day then...

Maybe.

If he was saved from that poisonous, torturing medicine.

And he wasn't really exggerating. Or at least tried to.

* * *

><p><strong>AN** : Sorry if the ending is a bit weird or something, and I hope you like the fluff I put here. Yeah, Gray is very dense yet so smart XD

Please review and state your opinion, thanks for reading, and see you in the next one :))

~snowdrop03


	4. Story 4 : Holes of the Hearts

**A/N** : A merry christmas fic for you all, consider it as a gift from me. hope you enjoy~

* * *

><p><strong>#4 : Holes of The Hearts<strong>

"I hate Christmas."

That was what a raven-haired boy, who was lying with arms crossed behind his head on the guild's roof top, had stated in pure annoyance. What was he doing again? It was none other than being all half-naked in his favourite dark-blue boxers, staring up at the dark, almost-black sky that was tinted with the dots of stars.

In people's common sense, it was what you called a 'death wish'. Because there was no way, someone wouldn't freeze to death in their minimal attire, let alone a thin t-shirt, if you were lying on your back for an hour in the peak of low temperature in the middle of the teeth-teetering winter air.

But again, common sense was what you could call something that was near to extinction, if you were living in the world of magic.

And there, in a certain guild in the land of Fiore called Fairy Tail, 'common sense' were the words that only a few people understand. And those people were the only ones who still had their sane minds in tact. At least, a little.

Gray, however, wasn't one of them. And the ice mage didn't even care. His whole being, be it his magic, his muscles, and heart had always accepted cold. He favoured cold temperature, snowflakes, ice cream, and everything he drank wasn't complete if it wasn't for the small floating ice cubes inside.

But it wasn't snowing that day, though the air had been decreasing a few degrees. And it pestered the irritated boy even more.

He had always despised Christmas, moreover the Christmas eve. And the frozen droplets were the only ones he faved during that event. It was just comforting, seeing the white micro powder-like substances flailing slowly, but numerously, blanketing the whole place like a fluffy cloud-like cloth.

Gray sat up, stretched his stiff body as the result of his previous posture, but then felt something itchy in his hair. Grunting, he ran his fingers through his jet-black hair, until they finally made contact to a frizzy...little thing (which obviously was not his hair), then pulled it out.

It was a part of golden Christmas ornament, the long frizzy one that you usually circled on your christmas tree, or simply hung them on the ceilings. Seemed like he had gotten it from the currently partying guild when he had been downstairs.

Gray stared at the material, clenched, then unclenched it in his hand, a frown was tugged on his lips. He loved party, it allowed him to drink as many gulp as possible without anyone complaining (in exception of Cana who almost had never been sobber), it was a simple gathering of friends, to do almost everything they like. He liked every little rowdy thing about party, or even festival and carnival, just...not on Christmas.

He had used to love that day. In his history, Christmas used to be a fun event, it had been...warm.

Instead, that very day also had been the day that turned his heart into a cold, empty shell, the day when his whole world had turned upside down.

The memories were still fresh on his mind. There had been no lively music. Instead the screams of horror and that agonizing roar had replaced them. The fairy lights around the neighbourhood had been shut down, the lively decorations were ruined to pieces, and the scents of freshly baked Christmas cookies had been stained with the horrible sensation of fresh blood. It had been dreadful.

He could even recalled the way his feet paddled passing through the destroyed city. His boots hitting the snow. He still remembered how his mother had told him to run to get help, how his father had snatched his big gun. He couldn't forget the expression on their faces.

_Sadness_, because they knew how thin the possibility that they would survive. _Anger_, Gray felt it too. They were angry of how the spiteful creature could rummage their dearly home town. _Hop_e, a hope that Gray would get the help needed on time, a hope that at least he could survive. _Fear_, an undeniable fear that they possibly-certainly wouldn't and couldn't stand up to that creature. They knew it too well.

The boy had been desperate on not leaving them. He had known the consequences. What if something went wrong? But they just smiled and gave him one last warm hug, the last warmth he had felt.

He had been weak. He had been scared.

"Damn," he cursed, clutching his head with one arm. He had moved on. He had got a new awesome family and had met lots of amazing people. He had been able to stand alone, independently. He had been stronger.

But why? Why did he feel so weak inside? Why were those memories kept haunting him in his dreams and reality? Why was all of it so painful?

In his rage, Gray stood up, clenching the almost-forgotten ornament in his hand and tossed it as hard as possible. But to his dismay, the light-weighed material flew behind him instead and he heard a familiar yelp. The boy turned his head rapidly and blinked towards the owner of the voice.

"Lucy?"

* * *

><p>Lucy was sitting on the bar, one hand propping her somehow lazy head, her eyelids were half closed as she watched her beloved guild's antics.<p>

Cana was in the furthest corner of the bar and was using this particular event to drink even more booze (ten bottles of various alcoholic drinks stood proudly in front of her face as the evidents). Bisca was handing Alzack and her sweet daughter her handmade choco chip cookies. The couple were still blushing despite the fact that they'd been married for a long six years. Makarov, Macao, Wakaba, and Gildarts (who for some reason had come back to the guild yesterday) were laughing, glasses of alcoholic liquid in their hands. She could hear them talking about those curvy ladies Gildarts had encountered during his travel (perverts -_-"). Mira was humming Christmas songs behind the bar, walking in and out from the kitchen to prepare her delicious dishes, with Lisanna and an excited Juvia (who decided to make a special menu for her 'Gray-sama') helping her. Wendy, Romeo, and the three exceeds were arranging the gifts each member had collected for the gift-exchange event under the big merry Christmas tree, while Laxus and the Raijinshu had simply settled down for mugs of hot chocolate, each with a smile on their faces (though Laxus' smile needed an extremely deeper look). Her best friend, Levy was shoving a big piece of vanilla cake to Gajeel's mouth (who eyed the metal fork attached to the cake hungrily instead, though he wouldn't admit that the cake was delicious), and were watched by both Jet and Droy with envy in their eyes. The rest of the group was listening, or rather being forced to listen to Elfman's special Christmas masculine remarks. Her poor pink-haired nakama however was being 'scolded' by the mighty Titania for his failed attempts on his mischievous Christmas pranks.

An amused smile slipped through her feature. Poor Natsu, he had been the one who was the most excited too. But she was a little glad that Erza gave him some 'lessons', because she might be his second target of the pranks (the first was obviously Gray). That left her wondering about the ice mage's whereabouts. She hadn't seen him since the party had started.

Lucy turned her body towards the bar and slumped on the wooden table, hiding her face in the warmth of her sweater-covered arms. She just felt utterly depressed, to the point that her guild's unique antics didn't cheer her up as much as usual, and to the point that she didn't want to do anything. She had wanted to curl herself into a pitiful ball, lying with her novel inside her warm, thick blanket. But Natsu and Happy had insisted that she should come to the celebration, and moreover with those irresistable puppy eyes that she couldn't help but to give up on her previous motive.

Lucy sighed, warm breath lingered on her finger tips.

It was not like she hated Christmas. She loved it.

She still treasured those days when her maids and butlers would be exchanging small handmade gifts with her, in the replacement of her busy father's attendants, or when she had helped them decorate their giant Christmas tree. She had even remembered their first Christmas story-telling competition, and how all of them would laugh when someone had told a hillarious tale. Lucy had known, that there had been no more sitting on Dad's laps or singing along with Mom's amazing pianist skill. But still, she treasured all of them for spending time with her, through their busy schedule of chores.

Christmas eves had been the ones that worsened once Layla had died. Instead of warm Christmas jokes, songs, sweets and big teddy bears, what her Dad had offered were big elegant parties, inviting whole lots of his business clients and partners. He would introduce or rather _brag_ about her to them, then left her to have his long business talks with his guests, ignoring her as if her show had ended. He had left her with only swooning dance partners, and even the jealous ladies who wanted to pry on her business. Some of them were nice really, and she should admit that she had enjoyed some of the dances. But it was...too suffocating. The former heiress had to act like what people wanted, demanded to see, like a proper, stiff lady. It wasn't Christmasy at all.

Her mother however, had been an expert on parties, though she had once complained to Lucy about how she had been sick of them sometimes.

That very night on that very party had been the cause of the sudden turn of event. She still remembered how stubborn her mother had been, how her determination to make her husband happy hadn't wavered.

But if she had listened to what the doctor had said, would she actually survive?

Lucy bit her lips, tears threatened to appear on the corner of her eyes, but she shook it off quickly.

She got it. It was the word 'party' that she disliked. It was the thing that directly and indirectly caused the changes to her mother's health.

She loved every bits of Christmas just...not with big parties.

For some reasons, she preferred being alone on those moments. Sure, her guild was more than tons of fun and their parties were totally different where she could be herself. But still...something was tugging her heart and she couldn't help but reminisence on her old childhood memories.

She had moved on. She had got an irreplaceble home, and even his Dad had said that he loved her in those seven letters he had sent. But why? Why were those memories she wanted to forget were still lingering in the back of her mind? Why was it still suffocating?

"...cy, Lucy?"

"Hmm?" When Lucy looked up, her caramel orbs met Mira's concerned blue ones.

"Are you okay?" She asked, two mugs of hot chocolate in hands.

Lucy huffed, and faked a smile, "I'm fine. Just...a little tired."

Mira seemed unconvinced for a few seconds, but then her face lit up, as if she found a genius idea, which for her was.

"Lucy," she whispered, waving her hand which Lucy took as a sign for her to lean closer.

"Can you help me to bring this hot chocolate to Gray on the roof top?"

Lucy crooked her brows, confused, "Roof top?"

"He always gets a bit depressed at times like this, I don't know why," Mira whispered again with a worried tone, "Will you? Since Juvia is busy with her baking and all."

Lucy then understood why Mira had to talk in an extremely low voice. She didn't want Lucy to be confronted with a deadly aura by the water mage who would certainly be very glad to dawn her wrath to her so-called 'love rival'.

"Sure," the blonde smiled. Maybe fresh air, she meant cold air was what she needed. And she was a bit worried about Gray too.

Mira beamed, her eyes sparkled...literally, "Thanks a lot, Lucy. Here," she said while handing the hot mugs she had been holding, "One for you as thanks."

"Thanks, Mira-san," she said, trying to be as cheerful as she could, then made her way to the small stairways on the back of the guild that directly led her to the roof top. The wooden plates creaked a little as her leather boots stepped onto them, causing Lucy to cringe at each steep steps. She was sure that the wood wasn't that cranky, or at least she hoped so.

After hopping carefully to the top step, she turned the rusty knob of the wooden door and was instantly welcomed by the cold and heavy winter wind. She shivered at the sudden change of temperature, her strands of blonde hair sticking to every direction, while her skirt flew up indignantly, and she thanked herself for being smart enough to wear a pair of thick stockings underneath.

She was about to call out for Gray who she had sighted not far from her current position, when the boy suddenly threw something to his front. She could see the unknown thing glinted, as it flew to his back instead, where Lucy was, right on her widening eyes.

The celestial mage let out a surprised yelp due to the 'thing' stinging her eyes.

That sound she made, seemed had taken the attention of the dazed older mage as he turned around to face her.

"Lucy?" She heard Gray said, a bit startled at her presence.

In return she just grunted, shaking her head in fury. No matter how much she wanted to get that thing off her eyes, she couldn't do it with two hands full. The wind didn't help either, as it kept blowing, as if forbidding the unknown thing to drop by itself.

"Gray...," she said sheepishly, squinting, hoping it would protect her from the frizzy thing from entering her eyes, "Can you get this thing off me?"

He reacted ro her request with a low amused chuckle, but walked to her nonetheless. That reaction made Lucy blush a little in embarrassment due to her clumsiness, or you could say her dumb bad luck. When she felt the 'thing' had been lifted, Lucy blinked rapidly, her eyes had gotten a little teary.

Gray, who for a moment had forgotten his annoyance due to the short entertainment, peered on the things in Lucy's hands with interest, "Is that for me?"

"Huh?" Lucy asked dumbly, but then followed his gaze, "Oh yeah! Mira-san told me to give this to you."

Gray let out a thin smile and took one of the mugs, "Thanks."

The boy then sat down, crossed leg, slightly patting his left side, which Lucy (who was standing awkwardly, looking at his attire but said none) took as the sign for her to join.

Lucy settled down, straightening the hem of her skirt with her free hand, then sipped her warm beverage. As its heat and sweetness flowed through her dried throat, making her slightly better, she said, "I thought you like cold drinks."

"Hot chocolate is different," Gray replied nonchalantly, after blowing his drink, "It's just exceptional."

Lucy nodded in agreement, circling her fingers around the white mug, savouring its warmth, "What are you doing here anyway?"

Gray hesitated for a moment as he stared absentmindedly at the brown liquid being contained in his porcelain mug. Would it made him a big antagonizing jerk if he was about to say that he hated the day of joy? Somehow he felt like that evil green creature who hated Christmas. What was his name again? The Grunch? The Grinch?* Seriously, Gray couldn't care less.

So to be safe, he just shrugged, "I just wanted to be here."

"How reasonable," Lucy said sarcastically in return, but decided not to pry any further.

Gray decided to ignore her remarks as he gulped his favourite drink slowly, but then asked her back, "What about you?"

Lucy in other hand, understood perfectly what he meant, but didn't answer immediately. That silence caused Gray turned to look at her dazed expression. Until she finally said with a small smile, still avoiding his curious gaze, "Just wanted to be here."

The boy snorted at his copied answer, but didn't look away. There was just something on her expression that he couldn't decipher. A certain emptiness, and it reminded him of himself.

"Oh come on, tell me?"

With than been said, Lucy snapped her head at him. Doubt was evident all over her pretty face, until finally she sighed knowing that Gray probably wouldn't let that matter go, "I'll tell if you tell."

"Alright," Gray agreed thoughtfully, "But promise me you won't laugh."

"Okay?" Lucy answered, not really sure about what he meant.

"I hate Christmas."

"I hate parties."

They blinked, then voiced their answers simultaneously for the second time.

"I thought you were-"

"I thought you love-"

"Okay, okay," Lucy laughed, "You first."

Gray nodded then continued what he had wanted to say before, "Are all heiresses supposed to love parties? I mean, they have lots of fancy balls."

"Well, I am not most heiresses," Lucy rolled her eyes, "If I had loved them, I wouldn't have run away in the first place."

He smirked. She was indeed different from the other heiresses who he thought to be quite snotty. Or else, why could she have the gut to run away from her comfortable home?

"I guess you're right."

"Same goes to you too," the blonde girl glanced at him, "I thought you love everything lively, considering you're in Fairy Tail and all."

The black haired boy huffed, yet he was grateful that his blond-haired nakama didn't throw him any dirty scrutinizing look for hating the 'joyful' day, "I love parties. Not Christmas."

"Really?" The girl's eyes widened, before she looked up to the sky and let out a bitter laugh, "It's ironic actually. I love Christmas, but not parties. You love parties, but not Christmas."

"Yeah," Gray trailed off and followed Lucy's glance. The same bitterness was evident in his tone, "Funny."

"Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You can talk about it. I mean, I'm your friend, aren't I?" Lucy asked him, a bit concerned by his unusual bitter behaviour.

"It's...nothing really. It's just that...," again, Gray hesitated. He wasn't the kind of person who shared that much about himself anyway. But...he could trust Lucy right? Anyway, he couldn't resist the way her big worried chocolate orbs staring at him...and no, he didn't just think of how beautiful her eyes were.

"My parents died on Christmas eve," he finally said, his expression unreadable. But Lucy understood, she understood it too perfectly. Lucy knew that Gray's village had been attacked by the ancient demon called Deliora, the monster that his former teacher had managed to kill with her life as the exchange, the one they had encounter during their trip to Galuna Island.

"Sorry," she apologized, extremely guilty that Gray had to expose his probably most painful memory, "I...shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay. I'm quite relieved that I've told it to someone anyway," Gray scratched his head sheepishly and went back to sipping his hot drink, "I've kept it way too long."

Lucy sighed, putting the mug on the ground, hugging her legs nearer to her chest, "I understand your feelings though."

"Huh?"

"My mother was sick, but she insisted on attending that party," Lucy began, her voice as low as a whisper, so that Gray had to lean closer to catch her next words, "Everyone told her to rest, but she wouldn't listen. Maybe, if I had insisted harder that time, she wouldn't have gone..."

"Lucy...," Gray spoke. Lucy had never told them anything about her mother. All they knew was that Layla Heartfilia had been dead when her daughter only had been 10. But he was more surprised knowing that behind her comrade's cheery attitude, there lied the same broken child as he was. Moreover, he felt horrible for not noticing that she had been silently breaking inside. He felt terribly stupid, for him to just ignore the fake smiles that she held sometimes, or her distant gazes for that he believed that she would definitely tell them when she was ready.

He was a nasty friend.

"...I was so stupid huh?" There, she strained that fake smile again, her empty eyes on her fiddling fingers until she realized she had been blabbering for some times, "Sor-"

Her apology was interrupted by Gray's sudden gesture. All she knew was that her head was pressing against Gray's cold bare chest, her fingers slightly touching his skin, while Gray's arm which had pulled her closer was circling securely around her back.

"Gray?" Lucy squeaked, her cheeks heat up a little at the close proximity. Her whole upper body had practically been pressing Gray's and it sent an odd spark along her body. A pleasant one though.

"I know," Gray muttered and Lucy could feel his chest vibrating as he spoke and patted her head softly, "I know."

Gray's voice was so comforting, yet really sad at the same time. As if the words were a cue, a row of sobs began escaping her lips, bubbles of tears streaming through her cheeks as she poured all of her already unborn feelings.

His heart scrunched with every tears shed. He couldn't see Lucy's face, but he knew that her wall she had managed to put up was...breaking down, the same way his composure had crumbled. It was like their feelings had become one. It was as if Lucy had been relieving his feelings in her tears too. It was as if he wanted to cry too.

Gray hugged Lucy even tighter, then his eyes widened.

_Warm_, Gray thought as he snuggled through the crook of her neck, his tensed shoulders relaxing in the process. _So...warm._ It was the kind of warmth he had been seeking his whole life. Almost the same kind of warmth he had felt from his parents' hugs.

"Gray?" Lucy asked, a bit startled when she felt something wet on her shoulder.

"Let's stay like this...for a bit while," Gray answered calmly, though his wavering voice failed him.

Lucy's eyes softened as she wrapped up her arms around Gray's waist, snuggling deeper for both of their comforts.

Both of them had been broken. Yet, both could manage to fill each other's almost-invisible hole deep in their hearts.

It was their best Christmas gift : Two mugs of their forgotten hot brewing chocolate standing around their feet as the beginning, the two of them embracing each other's warmth, with the falling white substances, the gleaming stars, and the abandoned bit of golden ornament as their only witnesses.

Maybe, Christmas parties weren't that bad after all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN** : * I read in the internet that he's some fictional villain who hated Christmas. so there!

done. hope you love it ;3

all I can say is : Happy holiday to all of you~

and please revieeew :p

~snowdrop03


	5. Story 5 : Resurfacing Scars

**A/N_ : _**_*For those who had read : Sorry, I edited this one, because I think the last one wasn't worth and if I should admit, was written quite carelessly and rushed. You don't have to reread if you don't want to. In short, I replace the cheesy 'talk with Mom' moment with something else that suddenly came to mind, added some more details and maybe flashbacks here and there. Just hoping, it would add depth to this story. And I changed the title too~_

_And if you think the previous unedited one is better, I'll change it again with a few tweaks. Thanks for those who reviewed, faved or, alerted :D*_

Hello, long time no see *cough* write, everyone! This is the semi-canon I promised you with (if you read the a/n in 'Hollow'). There's not so much to say right now. So, without further ado, proceed to the story~

* * *

><p><strong>#5 : Resurfacing Scars<strong>

_Run, run, run._

Gray couldn't understand. But, the persuasive, yet soft, encouraging voice deep between his vague minds, and the loudest in his heart, kept urging his feet to do so. It pounded, hollered repeatedly, as if there was a giant alarm right in the centre of his being, ringing even resonantly on every dreading second.

Or moreover, it was like an activated time bomb. Apprehending each millisecond in fear of certainty of it blowing up.

_Faster._

_Faster?_ What was he chasing for? What was it that feared him? Why should he be running, as if running away for his precious life?

Gray couldn't comprehend what, or better, analyze why, but he did as 'it' had told him anyway. As if it left him no other option, no other choice, a dead end. Which probably was correct in a way.

The rough ground thumped on every long rapid step he took and it paralleled with the banging rhythms of his heart as if it could pop out from his rib cage in any second. For a moment there, it was like he had been passing through a boisterous earthquake which only he could sense, made of his own throbbing heart beats and his shoes colliding with the road.

Everywhere he could gaze were blurs ; mixture of greenish haze of what he could indentify as a fresh grassland, a wide spread of azure of what was definitely the bluish sky, the brown hues of the long path he had been travelling on, and every tints of natural colours mashed up together like an abstract painting.

The ice mage kept moving faster, making the scenery around him even blurrier. There were an unexplainable anticipation of something he couldn't quite put a finger on, a hint of inexplicable insecurity as if he was going to lose something he held dearly, and a huge rush of adrenaline of him panicking, the ones that had given him extra boosts for running like a mad man.

The teen didn't have any idea of why he was acting that way. His body and mind were moving on their own accords in response to his mixed emotions, so fast that he didn't even have time to understand, let alone absorb the whole situation.

He had never felt that lost, ever since Galuna Island. Ever since Ur. Ever since the death of his parents. Ever since everything.

Out of his conscience, Gray had clutched his white outer shirt, clenching the fabric covering his chest ever so tightly, in which all the abnormalities had come from, barely feeling the tiniest drip of sweat running from his forehead down to his chin. No exaggeration intended, but his existence just screwed, every inch of him just ached so bad. It was like there was a huge weight that he couldn't release, pressing the oxygen out of his lungs and reducing his breaths into short exasperated huffs. It was like his chest, and even his stomach had been turned and constricted in the wrong way. They just...hurt.

Was it because he ran way too fast?

No, it had never hurt to dash. He had been so used to it, considering his constant competitions and getaways (from Erza's Godly wrath) with Natsu. It was not possible, because his three nakama were right beside him, keeping up at the same speed.

His current female company, whose scarlet feature were flapping like a flag of blazing fire was running on his right. One short look at her and you would assume that she was stoic, almost phlegmatic and unfazed, the calmest, the most unaffected of the group. For a moment, it seemed like she had the whole situation under control, like she, as expected from Fairy Tail's Titania had the upper hand even in the darkest and most complicated twists of problem.

It required a deeper examination to see her slightly twitching expression, her eyebrows crooked, showing how the S-class mage disliked every detail of the situation. It took seconds to realized that the thin lines of her lips were forming a tiny, stiff, and apparently, sad frown. Sad, because she was afraid that nothing could change the situation, no matter how hard they tried.

What were the most prominent indication, were her eyes, where were practically the opened windows to your very soul, shooting right to your very deepest emotions without lie. Her deep brown orbs were distant, as if placing themselves to look back in the past, yet at the same time so focused, that she could kill you with one simple look. Tiny flickers of fire danced in her eyes, struggling to expand, struggling to regain yet another hope. The best words Gray could come up with to describe her were : strong, yet so fragile.

_It had been her first to hear someone opted her as 'cool and beautiful', as stated in the letter. Such representations that didn't even mention her being scary, menacing or anything synonymous, was a first. Cowering at the sight of her was the very common one, but she didn't. Someone idolizing her like a role model, like how the blonde said she admired her, was simply unbelievable. It was simple, yet she couldn't help but to feel a bit flattered. _

_Deep inside, she still knew that she was anything but cool and beautiful. She was weak, a coward constantly hiding in the shelter of her armour which she almost never felt safe without, always running away from the past._

_In fact, the celestial mage was actually the kind of girl she always dreamt to be ; A cute optimistic girl who would not think twice if it considered the people she cared about, unlike the snobby rich heiresses she heard about. She was smart, and not to mention fashionable (you must see her mini underwear), and cheery, always trying her best to help out, always attempting to improve despite her shortcomings. _

Erza Scarlet had put her trust in her, but she just left. And now, the redhead isn't so sure anymore.

Gray knew that she was frantic, even in her most aphetic state. It was simply because he had seen not just the strong side of her (who didn't?), but also the fragile part of her.

_'The nerve of that girl'._

_Little Gray rubbed his swollen left cheek furiously, cold lingered on the tips of his fingers, with feet stomped so indignantly, ignoring the passerby's' weird yet regular stares at his topless attire._

_Well, it wasn't everyday that you'd see a half-clothed seven-year-old with one bruised cheek and the other puffed in annoyance, eyes glaring so cold like his element, muttering curses of a certain girl that beat him up._

_Yes, a girl that beat him up._

_A girl. Beat him._

_A girl._

_Again._

_Right._

_He kicked a pebble who just so happened to be in his way grumpily, in order to shut the voices inside his head up. The poor stone, jumped away to the wall of an innocent citizen's house, bounced once, then disappeared into a dark alley beside it, as if running away from the obviously pissed boy. _

_This action however, hadn't relief the little mage's foul mood. Or either his still throbbing cheek._

_No girl had ever beaten him up. Moreover, repeatedly._

_Okay, maybe except that ever so monstrous Ur with her freeze-to-death training._

_Except that, no one could, would, or should defeat the Great Gray Fullbuster of Fairy Tail._

_Especially a silent, somehow annoying, arrogant newbie._

_No freaking way._

_He stopped his angered stomps when he caught a gaze of something red peeking from the down-hilled river bank (God knows how he had gotten there). Or more specifically, scarlet red._

_A grin of mischief slipped through his feature. _

_Yeah, he had just been caught off guard. This time, surely, he's going to take back his dignity and victory. And that girl would ask for mercy. _

_With that in mind, utterly ignoring how many times he actually had been 'caught off guard', Gray snickered. Somehow, the image of the Ms Almighty bowing so low to him would be entertaining to watch._

_"Oi!" He shouted, not bothering to even plan on a sneaky attack because yeah...he was childishly cocky like that. _

_He jumped down to the grassy patch of the fast-flowing river side, pointing his hand just right at the back of her head as if readying to punch or freeze whatever part of her ten...or maybe twenty, or fifty times more hurtful than she had done to him._

_The redhead girl stiffened at his voice, turned around on reflex with the expression Gray had least expected; tears adorning her only shown astonished brown orb, mouth gaped slightly in surprise. _

_Gray lowered his arm and flinched, his mind flustered, and a battle challenge quickly left forgotten._

Was Lucy that insensitive? Erza liked her. And now that she was gone, would there be more tears to come? How could she just take away her little bit of happiness just like that?

His glance then fell on the famous Salamander who was on his front left, acting as their guide to her place with his nose. His rosy locks were dangling fiercely and his sandals were tapping the ground in constant phase. The fire mage had been so oddly quiet, with no words spoken, no comments whined, and no lively remarks to shout.

His usual tough onyx eyes were slightly damp, hinting his inner turmoil. A single droplet dripped across his cheek, revealing a slightly glimmering line in the sunlight, then dissolved with the gust of wind. His sharp teeth were kept so tight, canines gritting against each other in determination or anger, or both, which were still burning in his hazy orbs.

The ice mage had just witnessed the most happy-go-lucky, merriest, and unbeatable (except by him of course) member of Fairy Tail crying his heart out. The last person who you thought would actually ever cry.

It certainly was not his first time seeing it.

_The first time had been a few days after the dragon slayer's recruitment in Fairy Tail. He remembered how the little pink-haired boy had been grinning proudly, waving a piece of mission flyer which he barely understand for everyone to see. His smile however, had been soon replaced with tears of fury, much to Gray's surprise, because the oblivious ice mage had mocked his lacking ability of reading (which only included reading numbers)._

_He was still guilty of what happened that day, though he didn't want to admit. It hadn't been a part of his intention to tease the precious memory of his lost dragon 'father'. He knew how loss had been like. _

_The second time had been two days after one of their close comrade's death, yet it had been the second day since Natsu and his faithful pet hadn't shown their faces at the guild. So he, as had been requested by Erza, not that he had been worried or he could refused, had come to check on them._

_He had taken his first wild guess to their cranky home, only to find a grieving blue cat and messy, disordered mostly unidentified stuffs scattered around the 'humble abode' causing it to look like a jungle of...weird thingies. After convincing the cat that he should go to the guild (with nearly an hour bargaining him with double dozens of tunas), he had managed to lure the slumping kitty out of the messy slot called 'Natsu and Happy's house'._

_He found the cat's idiotic owner, just splits of minutes later, making another accurate guess. There had been his normally noisy bickering-rival, near the hut he had made with his close childhood friend, standing in the gloomy rain which just had decided to pour down right after Gray's visit to the house. His pink head had been hung so low, back turned against his still hidden observer namely Gray who could see his object's shaking shoulders, indicating the slight fact that he was crying. _

_He had reconsidered that it might be the the depressing effects of the rain, which was also the cause why the boy hadn't heard him coming in the first place (despite of his sharp hearing senses). Maybe, the pitter patter of the rain were too defeaning for his sensitive ears, or because he simply didn't care much._

_His mind quickly changed to certainty of him tearing up once he had seen what Natsu had been brooding at. Something that he was sure, wasn't in front of the hut before. A tombstone. And it was hers. _

Gray shook his head at the two particular memories, struggling not to dwell on his frienemy's expression further.

Despite their constant, mostly pointless arguments, deep down Gray understood that Natsu had a serious issue of abandonment. And he couldn't stand to watch it repeating with his newly found partner again.

Natsu was traumatically broken, despite of his tough unbreakable exterior.

Above the latter's head was his loyal blue pet and companion. His blurry angelic white wings determined how fast they were moving, and his green backpack was thumping up and down on his back at his rocketing force. Two waterfalls had been flowing from his big eyes once they had set out, and had gotten huger and huger, but the same unwavering look had been planted on his face, totally identical to his owner's.

He wouldn't be surprised if someone had found two wet trails of his waterfall on the road.

Sometimes, he even wondered to himself. Why was he, the most possible person weakest to tears, had to witness all of his teammates' childhood melancholies? And oh the irony, because he had no slightest idea that the objects would actually be his soon-to-be, though might be temporary teammates.

Gray knew that the cat had been really fond of the blonde even for such a short time. Either because he had had a new teasing object, or just a simple pet attachment.

Either way, he knew that little fellow was afraid of losing another sisterly-like or possibly...motherly-like friend.

_"Hey Happy, what's your favourite thing?" Natsu asked his lifetime partner who was sitting on the bar table, trying to sound as normal as a Natsu could do. He sipped his blue straw, letting the hot liquid of his favourite 'hot' orange juice wetting his throat, eyes never moving from the cat. _

_Happy stopped nibbling his tuna to speak. His answer was quick and certain, as if it was common sense._

_"Fish," he announced simply and went back to his meal as if the considerably stupid question hadn't even existed._

_The fire mage blinked, then grinned widely as if it was the answer he's never going to come up with (because he really didn't). Why didn't he think of that before? Of course it would make the cat's greatest, awesomest birthday present ever!_

_"Seriously cat," Gray snorted, his frienemy's indirect yet so obvious interrogation of 'what Happy wants for his birthday the day after tomorrow' didn't go unnoticed to him. Seriously, could the dragon slayer not be more obvious with all that suspicious nervously loud slurping? , "Is there any other thing you like beside fish?"_

_"Um...salmon?"_

_"Hey! That's my hair!"_

_"That's a fish, you dolts," the ice alchemist deadpanned at the two's idiotic statements._

_"Actually...," Happy trailed off in wonder which interrupted the glaring contest between the irritated Natsu and the mocking Gray, "I kinda like the way Lucy pets me."_

_The duo's eyes widened in disbelief, "Seriously?"_

_Happy may not act much like a normal cat, but he still was one anyway._

_"But don't tell her!" Happy chimed with a mouthful of fish, "Her head's gonna be bigger if you do."_

_"Oh and I like her pillows too!" He added, after pondering with dreamy eyes, "Though she never lets me scratch it. But I did, once."_

_"And?" The normally-rivals leaned closer, suddenly intrigued to hear more. Who expected that boys liked gossiping too?_

_"I stuffed it in her drawer," he said calmly, licking his paw, finger by finger, his delicious tuna was nowhere in sight._

_When the two teen mages was about to ask further, the guild's wooden door slammed open and walking into the guild was a blonde celestial mage with all her raged glory._

_"Where's that damned cat?" She spat, eyes narrowing to every part of the place, which had all the occupants shrinking back into their chairs, or hiding behind the bars, or simply excused to the toilet for obvious reasons. The blonde was scary._

_Happy looked at both Gray and Natsu with a pitiful, pleading expression, "...would you write a will for me?"_

_Two days later, he heard the cat brag to Natsu about one of his awesome birthday present, a pillow with his claw mark._

Gray wanted to laugh when he flashbacked through that memory. Instead, what he received were pure bitterness as it reminded him once more of the retreating blonde.

He hated his self right now. Him, with all the craps of negativities glorifying inside of him right about then, but couldn't even bring himself to cry. Him, who had melted his cold wall to let her enter, only for her to leave. Him, who despite of his weird stripping habit and need of pointless physical and verbal fight with Natsu, had been accepted by her, like she accepted Fairy Tail and its whole little bizarre antics.

_"Sorry miss, can you lend me your underwear?"_

_Okay, maybe it was not the smartest thing to say to a girl. But he was desperate. His vital organ needed protection and he couldn't risk Natsu burning it to ash._

_It took him seconds to actually examined the flustered lady in front of him. She had the brownest orbs he had ever looked at and strands of golden hair he rarely caught a sight of. Her delicate features were slightly flushed for reasons he was oblivious of, but then was quickly covered with her slender fingers on her face._

_'Cute.'_

_The thought surprised him, causing him to completely forgotten about what he was supposed to do. _

_His eyes were going to trail to her seemingly curvy body, when a fist met his face. It was when he realized (which was too late) that being utterly naked in front of a stranger, moreover asking for their underwear was pretty much indecent. _

_The newbie accepting him (even after that incident), an amazingly block head and his noisy cat, and a terrifying woman as her teammate days later was really beyond him._

He wanted freeze his two nakamas' tear glands right there and then, so they would just stop bawling their eyes off like everything was despair. He wanted to yell loudly to tell them to trust their nakama better. She would not do this to them. She would not leave knowing what they would felt about it. She just would not.

'I'm going home.'

The simple sentence flashed across his mind, and he murmured a curse to himself. He wanted to believe that it hadn't been her who had written that. He reassured himself that it had been a prank, so she had a good laugh at them after all the things that had happened.

Deep down, he knew he was just lying to himself.

Those three words, curved in fancy black-inked writings on that white piece of paper Erza had held with hands weirdly quivering had been neat and clear. The handwriting was so...Lucy-like.

And there was no way Lucy would play a prank so terrible to them, would she?

He had considered her as his nakama, a part of his family. A family was supposed to stick with each other, or so he had thought.

He thought wrong. It turned out that she lied.

His eyes narrowed at the ridiculous idea, practically glaring at everything he gazed at. No, she WAS NOT. _She will not..._, Gray clenched his fist tighter, so tight that it was almost bleeding, his little voice of hope trailing of rather weakly,_...leave us._

"We're here," Natsu's announcing voice jolted him out of his fury. It was raspy, like he hadn't talk since forever, knitted with new fortitude as he rubbed his eyes, probably just realizing that he had been crying.

This time, Gray looked straight ahead, catching glimpses of what seemed to be a town until they entered a large burial garden. There to their front, stood a tall sculpture with a girl with golden-like hair staring at it. He knew that hair anywhere.

Before they knew it, they had started screaming, creating a ceremonial choir of name-calling.

"LUCY!"

The said girl flinched at their call, turning herself to face them with eyes as wide as Happy's, as the cat himself jumped to her boobs...he meant chest with a loud sob.

"Wha-? Guys? What are you doing here?" She asked, looking extremely bewildered as she exchange glances between them at the crying cat whose back she had patted comfortingly on reflex.

_What are they doing there?_ He thought in utter frustration as they put their legs on stop, panting lightly to catch their breath. It was obvious enough wasn't it? They did not want her to leave.

Before he could accuse her out loud, Natsu had beaten him to it. His eyes were narrowed at the seemingly clueless Lucy who gulped at the sight, yet his cheeks were puffed indignantly, like a child who was going to throw his tantrum.

"How dare you leave Fairy Tail, Lucy?" He breathed, pointing his finger so sharp that the girl instinctively raised her one of her palm in front of her face, as if bracing herself of what about to come.

After she digested his words, however, she lowered it down, eyebrows raised, indicating her confusion, "What...are you talking about?"

This time, the Titania stepped in, hand on her hip with unfaltering gaze. In three seconds, Gray, Natsu and Happy recognized her 'time to interrogate' stance and kept silent.

"Does a letter you left at your apartment ring a bell?"

"Oh, that letter?" She asked as the others nodded, "What about it?"

Her answer raged Gray, though he was no person with short temper.

" 'What about it?' " The group, even including Erza jumped at his unusual tone. It was bitter, cold to the bone, sarcasm dripping on each side like venom, "So you'd just abandon us like that? After all this time?"

The spirit summoner blinked, she seemed taken aback. But then her eyes lit up in understanding, as she slipped a tiny, soft smile and scratched her cheek uncomfortably, "I wrote 'I'm going home' didn't I? Not 'I'm leaving Fairy Tail'."

Realization then hit the foursome's heads like a heavy boulder, leaving them stunned, unmoving, like a rock.

"Uh...Guys?" Amusement and concern bordering her every word, as she waved her hands frantically at her statue-to-be friends, and at the same time, stared at the stiffened cat on her chest.

They didn't know when, but then Erza had started chuckling, followed by Natsu who was stammering and accusing her for writing such an unclear letter, Happy had started grinning ear to ear as more tears streamed across his cheek, this time tears of joy and relief. And he...he...had wanted to punch himself for speaking that rude to her, for assuming something so damn foolish.

After a full minute of standing in his 'sorry corner', he then looked up from staring the ground, as if hoping it would just swallow him, only to meet her sincere, reassuring caramel orbs.

Unexpectedly, she grinned childishly at him.

Then and there, he knew she had forgiven him. He knew that she knew he had been guilty. She knew he hadn't meant it. She always knew.

For some reasons, Gray found himself smiling back at her.

* * *

><p>Gray flipped through the stacked papers in his hand, careful enough not to crumple it. He sighed in contentment, burying his half-naked body (not that he was aware) deeper through the comfort of his current seat. Really, what was better than reading Lucy's raw manuscripts while making himself comfortable on her comfy couch?<p>

"Look, Happy! I'm doing the fishy push-ups!" A certain salmon(no pun intended)-haired boy cheered rather too cheerfully. He was indeed in a position of doing push-ups, except he was doing it it single-handed, meaning : one arm crossed behind his back, with the other arm pumping his body up and down. A bucket of fishes (from who knows where) was placed on his back, and his scaly scarf was secured around his head like a head band. As for the location, the boy had grandly chosen Lucy's fluffy bed as his bearing.

Yep, a fishy way to do push-ups indeed.

"I wanna try too, Natsuuu," his blue companion whined above his back, shining eyes directed to the bucket hungrily. Yeah right, he wanted to try the fishes, or to be exact, chewing it like there was no tomorrow, not the push-ups.

Gray scoffed at the idiotic duo, reverting his eyes back to his reading, though not actually reading the words. His mind was somewhere else, or more specifically on the day before...

_"Ah...Well, this is just the garden. My family owns the land up to those mountains."_

_He couldn't believe it. The blonde nakama he always knew was a heiress to a city-sized territory? _

_The way she moved indeed look noble despite the way she dressed, not that he had been watching her eating in a such manner or flipping a page of a book with graceful delicacy._

_Okay, maybe a bit, but it wasn't much alright?_

_So, when he was taking in the scenery of her 'city' in awe ; the greeneries, the fountains and sculptures, the large mansion from afar, and heck, even the pathway seemed to sparkle, another weird sensation made its way to the pit of his stomach and he knew it wasn't of hunger, though he should admit he had forgotten to eat lunch... (That creepy anonymous bento? It was all in safe and sound in Natsu's incredible stomach.)_

_Did Lucy really prefer living among them, a squad of...unruly wildness rather than a sheltered life packed with luxuries and unending comfort? And that slight nostalgic look she had been having...was it possible that she had changed her mind?_

_But then she laughed heartily after seeing their reactions to her indirect 'I'm filthy rich' statement, tears pooling in the edge of her eyes._

_Gray didn't dare hope, but Happy's question had said it all._

_"Lucy, you won't leave us, right?"_

_Lucy stopped laughing, wiping the liquid clouding her brown orbs and smiled. A happy, loving smile._

_"How can I leave someone I regard as my own family?"_

_Gray knew at that moment, her answer had washed all the gnawing doubt he held. And he believed that it did the same to his other three nakamas too. This time, they trusted her, completely._

"Oiiii, stripper!" An annoying voice right beside his soon-to-be-deafened ears brought him back to reality. Harsh move.

"What the hell do you want from me, moron?" He rubbed his temporary-numbed ears in fury, emphasizing the particular two words in his question to express his extreme annoyance.

"Don't call me a moron, moron!" Natsu spat back with the same intensity, expressing how he hadn't been so pleased to be ignored, "I, the amazing Natsu Dragneel challenge you, the gay Gray Fullbuster, for a fishy push-ups record in five minutes duration! Whoever does more, wins!"

Gray snorted, uninterested. No thank you, he didn't want to look as fishy as him, especially if Lucy would be coming home soon. Wait, what did Lucy have to do with that?

"Hell no," the raven-haired boy declined in ease and went back to Lucy's novel.

"Huh? You're afraid?" Natsu smirked mockingly as Gray's shoulder tensed. He got him.

"Hell no!" Gray deadpanned for the second time, his inner ego was challenged as he stood up, dumping his reading material on the couch, "You will be the one who kisses my toes."

"In. Your. Sweet. Dream," Natsu spelled out in a sing-song tone, "You will be kissing my ass first."

And all hell broke loose. With the fishy push-ups forgotten. And was that a sound of someone munching the fish?

Suddenly the bathroom door flapped open swiftly, revealing a glaring Erza in her pink teddy pajamas.

"Do I hear fighting?" She asked, or rather, demanded sternly, halting the two's intense brawl.

"No sir," Gray grinned nervously, sneaking his arm on Natsu's shoulder stiffly, like a soldier following his commander's instructions, "As peaceful as ever, right BFF?"

"Right, BFF," Natsu mimicked his motion, a scrunched up grin tainting his face.

"Oh," The girl nodded, but then looked around the 'so pretty' room in confusion, "Then why-"

*PLUMP*

The four room occupants, snapped their heads at the sound, only to see the speechless original owner of the loft, staring at the whole room and them in disbelief, paper bags of groceries laying beside her feet.

Her veins popped. And her aura turned...ugly.

"What in the freaking world have YOU done with my apartment?"

It seemed like there was always something that never change.

* * *

><p><strong>AN** : I wrote the ending as humor (though I'm not sure it is funny), so the story won't be all depressed. This canon is taken from episode 29 of the anime (or chap 67-68 of the manga), and some other tidbit canons. I don't know if this is included in angst, because seriously, I don't know if I over-described or just didn't describe enough.

Reviews are my happiness !

The next shot will be AU, I think.

See you all later~

~snowdrop03


	6. Story 6 : Dripping with Luck

**A/N** : Waaa, I'm truly very sorry for the extremely late update. I got a writer's block on the AU I was promising you with before, and came up with this idea instead. Sorry for the late release though *bows*

For those who read 'Hollow', please take this for an early compensation for I'm not sure when to update. I'm suffering a case of writer's block on 'Babysitting Issue' too, so I hope you'll be patient on waiting till my inspiration return. *sigh* I am such a horrible writer -_-

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><p><strong>#6 : Dripping with Luck<strong>

If there was one thing that Gray Fullbuster found ridiculously nonsensical (besides everything concerning a certain rosy head), that had got to be _luck_.

Fortune, good omen, fluke...heck, even foreboding and the so-called fate; were objects he couldn't pour even the slightest faith into. After all, who was stupid enough to hold onto something so lacking of certainty and just plainly unrealistic? Not Gray, obviously.

Yet he wondered, was this by any chance what they called as 'luck'?

.

.

.

_Pitter. Patter._

Magnolia City was enshrouded with glooms of grey; puffs of smoke look-alike enclosed the whole welkin ecosystem, the sparrows' cheerful chirps were conditionally altered with the gushes of needle-sized droplets, and the streets were abnormally quiscent, considering anyone, or at least most, would prefer the comfort of their warm homes rather than walking round in the rather uncozy weather. The rare scenery left the ice mage pondering if the skies had been splattered by a pail of dark coloured paint, seeing it was in just perfect shade of azure a couple of hours ago.

"Gray," A perky squeal coming from his companion attracted the attention of -fortunately only- a few bypassers present, "You truly are the best!" She hugged the brown paper bag of baguette and other cuisine necessities ever so tightly against her chest, wet blotches of her drenched t-shirt staining the paper container.

The brunette cocked a single brow at the blonde, suddenly feeling extra conscious by the way the oh-so sparkling eyes of the girl shone right into his, which he found by a certain degree, cute.

If this rain had happened to be Juvia's doing, Gray decided it wasn't that bad of an outcome. Not that he loathed rain in the first place anyway, in fact, he really appreciated the lower temperature the weather gifted, no prickling sun peeking within the sky, thus rewarding him with those rare moments in which he could stay clothed for once.

Besides, how often was it that he was able to walk under the same umbrella with, and not to mention was ogled by a certain nakama he had been crushing on since forever? He hadn't even gone into exhibiting his heavenly abs (aka stripping), mind you. An ego boost indeed.

He knew his face would be severely injured if he hadn't restraint from slapping himself physically, notably abashed by how his consience had put his situation in such way he would not ever describe. 'Crushing' wasn't what Gray Fullbuster should be doing, well 'crushing the bones' in a fire dragonslayer's possesion might be a different case, but crushing on a girl? Now he felt so sappy.

Forcing his quirking lips to remain flat, he replied cooly despite the unreasonable warmth the somewhat-compliment had sent.

"You've been repeating that ever since we're off the store," he strained his tone to be as nonchalant as possible, for fear the girl would know what insane little things that were running through his head, "Besides, I never think that _someone_," he grinned deviously at this indirect address, "Would enjoy staring at me that much."

"But...but," Lucy (as known as _someone_) pouted, her golden untied hair flopped wetly against her back, leathery boots hopping onto mini sets of puddles, "You are shining, Gray!"

It only took three seconds for Gray to break into an uncontrollable chuckle. One of his hand was clutching his stomach as if fearing it would fall off its place, and the other which was hoisting an umbrella was vibrating along at the impact. For some odd reasons, the celestial mage had been phrasing that ever since Gray who had finished running an errand requested by Mira, spotted her taking shelter in front of a store, being drenched to the core, paper bags in her shivering arms and an impatient scowl painted on her feature. Maybe, it was what they called a guy's 'sparkling prince-like' moment (as told by Loke) as cheesy as it sounded, seeing he had approached her with an umbrella in hold and an offer to take her home in tact. He never thought of the day when Loke's unwanted lessons on catching a girl's attention (though he still listened nonetheless) really did seem believable though.

Halting his laughter after noticing the embarassed blush tainting the girl's feature, he replied rather cockily, his minor narcistic strides kicking in, "Am I that dripping _sexy_ under the rain that you couldn't resist?"

It might have been a dellusion, but he swore the pink hues decorating Lucy's cheeks was reddening, but it quickly disappeared as soon as it came.

"Sure you are, " simpering playfully she enuciated with a teasing tone, "I'm even surprised that you hadn't strip down to your boxers out of your...what you called it," two peace signs made its way to both sides of her head as she curled her double fingers repeatedly as a mark of quoting, "_Dripping sexiness._"

Gray scoffed, another smirk was looped on his lips, "Blame the cool weather, but I won't mind if you want me to."

He earned an eye roll for the narcistic remark and a set of grumbling he translated as "crazy exhibionist", but soon the topic was quickly dropped as she positioned her palm out of the umbrella's shelter, tens of raindrops gathering within the crooks of her fingers before seeping underneath.

"Despite everything, rain makes everything so serene, huh?"

She muttered so softly that he wasn't sure if it was meant for him to respond, thus only breathing a low hum as a reply and sized her with a long, silent stare instead of following the girl's intrigued gaze all over their serene surrounding. He noticed that her white tee had transformed into a dampened shamble, her jeans skirt unruly, and the rest of her exposed skin clammy from head to toe. But despite the wetness of all, her sunshine coloured strands was still set in perfection as if determining that she had just went out of the shower, not stucked in some form of heavy downpour. Her caramel orbs remained brimming with the kind of warmth he had always been fond of and in contrast to the gloomy weather, a peaceful smile was laced on her lips, so calming to the extent of him forgetting about every single thing that mattered, her weird excitement teased his chords in a way he was never able to decipher.

For him, she was its own serenity. She was...

"Beautiful," the word slipped so unthinkably, way too easily that it rendered him surprised for a split of second.

Upon hearing his incoherent mutter, the blonde jerked her head to his direction, so rapid that it caught him off guard, "Did you say-", yet her words slowly faded once she felt a spark brushed through the tip of her nose, which so happened to be Gray's lips grazing against it.

Both stood frozen, seemed too startled to move an inch as if caught red-handed in an act of crime. That is, after Gray started to lean in, his mind and body moving on its own accords.

_Pitter. Patter._

"Gray?" Her query was entranced with a doubtful whisper. But she didn't pull away, slightly mesmerized by the nearing pair of dark orbs gazing into hers in such softness she couldn't put a finger on.

But before anyone, or mainly she, could digest what happened, Gray had snatched the shopping bag in her possesion and pushed a thick cloth on top of her head, covering her face in the process.

"W-what?" She choked out, too shocked to utter anything else. She stole a glimpse by raising the cloth, which she later regarded as Gray's navy-coloured jacket, aside from her eyes, and saw the teen boy coughing in her peripheral, before murmuring something inside the palm of his hand.

"Don't catch another cold. Wear it," she barely processed his words, but fortunately it wasn't that completely inaudible either, "I'll bring this for you," he added, tapping an index finger on her shopping bag.

Too dumbfouded with the whole predicament, she managed an awkward nod, a foreign sense of disappointment rushed throughout her being, "T-thanks."

The two were enveloped in an awkward silence; with Lucy struggling to put the overly sized piece of clothing on and Gray who had attempted to relief any trace of blush behind his hand, constantly sneaking a peek at the unaware blonde. She had managed to slip both arms into the pair of sleeves but it appeared rather overgrown on her figure. The neckline was slightly ruffled on her shoulders and the long sleeves were reaching the tips of her finger, or maybe lower. Its thick hem extended so low until her mid thighs due to their range of height, despite it was originally dropping just below his waist.

Funny or erm _cute_, wasn't really the word for her current appearance. _More like..._

He didn't know when he had gotten himself into another laughter fits, but he was glad for it because it seemed to had melted the tensing atmosphere. Lucy sent him with an 'are you insane?' look, confusion and annoyance drawn all over her facade.

"Graaay!" she whined, fingers balled into fists and arms hitting both sides of her thighs repeatedly in fury, only proving his assumption correct.

"You really look like a penguin," Gray sputtered between his unstopping chuckles, impishly lifting the jacket's hoodie so that it rested on top of her head. Really, the weirdo had never ceased to amuse him.

Lucy gave him a dark look, but stopped her antics nonetheless, her cheeks ablaze, "Is that an insult?"

"No. Peguins are _adorable_, you know," Gray remarked lightly, "And that's coming from me."

The second silence lingered as late realization dawned upon the duo : Gray being extremely dumbstruck by what he had indirectly implied, and Lucy too shocked for words at what her teammate had indirectly compliment her with.

"...Uh," the younger mage scratched her tomato-shaded cheeks, decided it was appropriate enough to break the silence, "W-wanna come over for hot chocolate?"

Gray nodded, barely acknowledging their lack of eye contact, "S-sure."

.

It wasn't really wrong to believe in luck for once, right?

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><p><strong>AN** : Whoa, it's been long since I can write this short lol X) uh okay...did this suck?

Anyway, you're welcome to give any prompts for this oneshot collection; just give me a word, a theme, or a phrase and I'll make a oneshot out of it, then give you a credit afterwards. Feel free to ask for any special request (if you want any other pairing to be included) or any particular scene, I'll be sure to list it. The release date may vary though, depending on my inspiration :)

Thanks and please review~

~snowdrop03


	7. Story 7 : The Song of the Stars

**A/N** : Three words : Hey, I'm back!

From my personal prompts : insomnia and stargazing. Semi-Canon. Supposedly occurred after chapter 292, so Gray hasn't battled Rufus yet.

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><p><strong>#7 : The Song of The Stars<strong>

"Hey," an elbow leaned against the railing. The metal poles vibrated in the slightest, a springing lilt in the silent night.

Lucy didn't turn to him, nor did she hum an answer. Her strands of gold and sunlight was a mess of stardust in sleepy pigtails. She wore no tight night shirt and shorts but a scruffy sweatshirt and track pants at least two sizes too big.

Gray almost could guess why.

As if feeling his lingering question, she shushed him with a finger.

"Listen," her voice lulled beneath a whisper. A little hoarse, he noticed.

The checkered streets below their inn balcony was so empty it was almost funny. But then he remembered it was three in the morning rather than the busy, hustling noise of the afternoon. Crocus in twilight itself lacked of shifting colours it was always graced with in the day—the shop houses were dark and closed down with curtains and rusty padlocks, the variety of merchant carriages were covered with grayish cloths, and the only sound heard within the sea of silhouettes and city lights was only of the singing crickets'.

But the boy was pretty sure they weren't what she was referring to, all with the way her gaze was up instead of down, and deciphering instead of merely hearing a group of bugs whining. Before he could regard to this however, the blonde had slipped one toe into the circular gap of the handrail, hoisted her waist up, then slung her other leg over the top like what one did on a beginning of a horse ride, practically halfway into plummeting three meters to the ground.

Gray would have pulled her wrist in utter urgency and prepared a 'your life is too precious to be wasted' lecture (or something of the likes) had not the celestial mage flattened him with a fairly dirty stare.

"I know what you're thinking, Gray," his mouth widened midway to protest as she raised another leg...and plopped herself to sit on the banister, _oh_, "Suicide is the last thing on my mind, so stop looking as if I'm going to commit one."

A smirk, a little sheepish but teasing, "Aren't you?"

Lucy whacked his head (something she seldom had a chance of doing with him usually being a head taller), then insisted once again, "Just listen."

For a full minute no one spoke. The air was still and the merry choir of crickets chattered on. But nothing else.

"Um," Gray's curiosity cracked the silence carefully, "Listen to what exactly?"

A murmur and a curl of smile, "The stars singing."

"They do?"

Lucy's fond laughter dripped like honey and syrup, and he drank it almost greedily. It was the first genuine smile he'd heard in a long while.

"Sometimes we can hear them," the blonde shrugged with the littlest grin that remained, the poles tinkling under the knocks of her ankles, "It could have been tonight."

Humoring her, he enunciated, "They would be singing flowy jazz, I bet. Or classic."

The knocking stopped, a wider grin hidden within her query, "What would their voice be like?" the band-aids on her cheeks stretched minimally, "Soprano? Tenor?"

"Both," Gray weighed, fingers under his chin, "Would they own any music instrument then?

"Definitely. Violins?"

"Harps?"

"Flutes?"

"Natsu's seasick gurgles?"

Both snorts came simultaneously, "That sounds so _wrong._"

The moonlight swallowed their laughter.

"Can't sleep?" Lucy nudged, her touch a tad hesitant. There was a strain in her sleeved arm, as if roped with an invisible string, or wounded. Gray didn't dare to think about it though, about the livid scars on pearly skin, and limp body falling like a crumpled doll.

"Tried counting the sheep but didn't work," he thought twice about nudging back, but decided against it, "Have you tried Teddy Bear yet?"

The younger mage feigned an exasperated sigh, "Left him back home."

"So you admit you _have_ one."

It was dark outside, but Gray was quite sure her cheeks were quite ablaze by now.

"Hmph!" she huffed indignantly, arms folding, "Like counting the sheep is any better!"

Warmth bit his neck like ants and he scratched its back. So what if he was eighteen—twenty five, technically, given the Fairy Sphere fiasco—and still did?

Satisfied with her jab, she proceeded, eyes twinkling, "Have you tried watching the stars yet?"

"If I have to," he cockily looked up, which promptly earned him a sarcastic eye roll.

The stars almost seemed like floating snow, only that they were winking, Gray thought. They were obviously winning rivals against the crooked lamp posts and high buildings alight, for the latter looked just like frail matches under the luminescence of Christmas bulbs. The sky itself was a dark velvety blanket, with splatters of dusty galaxy and brimming navy. So endless, so broad, he pondered how it felt if it tightly cocooned them both.

The ice mage must have exhaled a wonderment of a kind, for Lucy had grabbed a handful of sky, then opened her fist—tiny dots of stars on black and blue as if stirring between the gap of her fingers—before peering at him.

_Beautiful, isn't it?_ The dim and vibrant caramel of her irises spoke.

Gray nodded absently, breathlessly, because the stars were swimming within the fleck of her eyes.

"Is it true that if we watch them, they'll watch us back?" He asked softly, afraid to ruin the fragile quiescence His finger traced the whitish sparkles, their in-betweens, then the whole nightly canvas, an inch to touching hers.

"No," The blonde shook her head, biting back a giggle as the ghost of his fingers tickled hers, "They'll watch us even if we don't."

"They must be glad that you do then."

As the skies inside her chocolate pools darkened, the bright stars within shattering like glass, Gray regretted ever uttering anything.

An unconscious rubbing against her crinkled sleeve revealed a hint of fresh bandages through the loose hem, vining and and slabbing the curve of her wrist and upper beyond.

"Maybe," her lips faltered, gnawed, chapped, doubtful, "Maybe not."

Her name ran to the tip of his tongue, but the rest of his words died out in a lump of guilt and understanding and realization. He could now make out the connection somehow, between the dark splotches below her eyes and this tiny creak of a broken girl behind her cracked happy smile and fake nonchalance.

He wanted no more than snatch that mask away and wipe her quiet tears aside.

"Who do the stars sing for?" He attempted.

"Those who are still living," she looked up, eyelashes damp, "Why do you—"

"What's the reason to their song?"

"To show us wonders," she stared at him weirdly, if not in confusion, "To let us know they're always watching and that the spirits and our ancestors up there are...happy."

The pause of her word showed she got his meaning across, and he simpered, "Exactly."

"Even if one of their younglings failed her chances nearly twice?" Bitter laughter grated his ears and it took Gray quite too much not to flinch at its stabbing, hollow edges, "And disgraced her guild in the process?"

_(She may have won second place_, her concealed meaning spoke as clear as day, _had not the referee acted, would she still stand a chance?)_

Wicked chuckles fumed his mind, a hint of insanity within framed eyeliners, the flick of glowing fingers, her frail breathing upon his skin, and blood blood blood—

The cold cut of his nails against his palm was what shook him off the unwanted images.

"Defeats won't bring her guild down, or so I heard," the railing frosted where he pressed but he quickly hid it, "Nor failure degrades who she is."

A sad smile, fumbling fingers, another swing of her legs, "Hers does. It makes her more of an excess baggage than she already is."

The query pierced him flesh-deep. He knew what it felt like after all, with the wound of his humiliating loss as fresh as new—the immense wave of self loathing he had for being so _damn _helpless when all he saw in his head at first was himself boasting in improvement. It turned out that he was a shallow boy was all, getting a little carried away by the express training he wasn't even worth receiving.

"Then I'm a hypocrite myself, I'll give you that," he admitted at last, "But listen, _screw_ the planets or whatever, we—your comrades—are forever proud of you, that fact is true." He ruffled her hair, so warm in the manner it startled the girl, "You did well, Lucy, really well. I figure your spirit friends are feeling as much too. Or even more so."

Her face was a mash of tearing up and gratefulness coaxed into one, so much like a lost child that Gray had to suppress the urge to hug her.

"I always knew you got a thing for philosophy, Gray," Lucy sniffed, a joke instead of a croak in her tone, to his great relief.

"Well," a scoff tried to hide his embarrassment, "I'm sorry for being corny."

The stellar mage seemed to notice his expense as she laughed again.

A hand sneaked onto his, tender, gentle, lovely.

"I'm proud of you too, Gray," her sincere voice wormed its way into the gaps of his chest, "Thanks."

His heart soared, fluttery, jittery, the kind of warmth he wanted to relish, because deep down he knew the simple words was what he yearned as much as she did too.

He squeezed her hand back, fingers intertwining like locks.

And thus they stayed that way for the rest of the night, because sitting side by side in silence, under the dreaming skies and singing stars—

—it's the loudest sound.

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><p><strong>AN** : The Song of the Stars (the stars that sing) theory really does exist. The real theory is called Music of Spheres by Pythagoras. It's an interesting definition of gravitational force, I suggest you google it ;)

Anywhoo, review please. prompts are truly welcome by the way :3

~snowdrop03


	8. Story 8 (graylu week) : Failing Grace

**a/n** : for the first prompt of graylu week : breathe. excuse the writing style, i'm kind of affected with the story setting ^^" (lower case because of random mood.)

.

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><p><strong>#8 : failing grace<strong>

**.**

**.**

The ballroom is stuffy. Not the kind of stuffy in the degrees within bickering crickets of summer, not the starching type of heat one feels near a cackling bonfire, not the kind when flaming magic meets skin, blistering, lighting something in him as words of challenge trickle and adrenaline sprints like forest fire onto the tips of icy fingers.

It's stuffy because entire marble floor is mismatched with overdressed ladies and men with tight leather pants. Stuffy, for the air reeks of poignant jabs and poised smiles, perfumes of cutting odor and expensive face powder, rigid and corseted with stiff manners and dull topics. As if they are dolling themselves, he thinks, putting a layer of mask on their eyes to cover envy with judging pleasantries, to brag their fortune with the light swishes of their gowns and the shine of their shoes rather than meaning to extract what a genuine party has to offer. Fun.

_Fun my ass_, he snorts on the column of his thin glass, sipping the azure liquid of sparkles and weirdly, sweet-sour cherry taste. Well the cocktail's good, he can give them that.

The fancy invitees are gathered separately in talking groups of two and three and four, circling close enough like they do under a shared wide parasol but a safe enough distance to not walk into any personal boundaries. An invitee with a little bit more extravagance sewn in her dress or extra gold engraved in his buttons converses in larger group, as do beautiful petals and sweet-smelling nectar attract a swarm of buzzing bees.

In the atmosphere that speaks of familiarity yet not really, in the event anyone is supposed to enjoy yet _not_ really, Gray never feels more out of place. And stuffier. And hotter.

The brunette is almost halfway undoing the third button of his navy dress shirt had not a voice halted him.

"Don't you _dare,_" the threat drawls low but smooth with a hint of panic and he knows without looking that it's Lucy.

"Hey princess," his smirk is sheepish and teasing all at once, but he buttons the shirt back. He preserves his life after all, "Having fun?"

"What a jest," the blonde's scoff comes with a tiny clink and a weighed roll of eyes. Her own slim glass is filled with exuberant pink. And the taste of melon, he absently detects.

"Ah, using fancy words now, aren't we?" He nudges, pointing out her unusual choice of speech, probably still tinged with the mood of her previous conversation with one of the socialites about intricate teacups or...something.

Her cheeks turn a shade brighter than her gown and a tint darker than her drink. She murmurs, "Sorry, old habit dies hard."

Gray finds himself silently agreeing. It is prominent that though her heiress status has been a history, Lucy still fleets through the ball with fluid grace. Be it her witty words or regal appearance, the blonde is still able to knit her way between the varying upper classes and genders alike even without the mention of her parents. It marks a contrast between him and her, he realizes, that beneath the paints and crafts of their adventures dug up, their upbringing still defies. Because within the chandeliers too vibrant and glowing silks fluttering they're dizzying, unlike him she belongs, and still will if ever she in a way or another decides to return to the life she was born in.

The shallow stupid train of thought makes the cherry on his tongue sourer than before and he chastises himself for even thinking it.

"Where are your...admirers?"

The ice alchemist catches soft caramel concerns peeking through her curled eyelashes behind the curiosity. Something must have shown in his face and he appreciates her not asking and attempting to shift the topic instead.

"They left once I pointed at ash brain and said he was a friend of mine," his answer brings her a breed of cringe and ridicule. Their pink-haired teammate and his pet exceed had been so engrossed in watching (and trying not to lick) the 'uber-awesome' chocolate fountain it was funny. Erza who was supposed to look after the idiot of a dragon slayer too had distracted herself with a satisfying pile of sweet delicacies in the same section. The remembrance of the stricken Lucy dealing with them earlier makes him bite his smile. They are on an disguised mission after all, and in order to merge with the crowd, they can't afford any unnecessary attention or outstanding humiliation (and exhibitionism, she told him especially beforehand).

"Too bad," the glass touches her lips, a kiss of light lipstick smudging the transparent material, "They seem rather keen to save you the effort of getting you out of your tux too."

I can strip for myself_thankyouverymuch_, he wants to protest, but hears the tight note of her sentences and the furrow on her brow and can't help but tease, "What, jealous?" shoving the amused laughter and the hassling jitters of implications and possibilities down his throat.

"I got my own spare of attention," she repels, not missing a beat (to his almost disappointment). But though her gesture swells with veiled pride, there is a dim glint in her eyes that speaks of something not as pleasant, akin almost to discomfort. And why not, Gray realizes, as vain as a girl appears to be, most won't appreciate being talked to with the mere purpose of blatant ogling, speaking of his uncomfortable experience with the gushing ladies himself.

(Not that he was watching her throughout the exchange. He only steals some glance to make sure no one did anything funny to his teammate is all.)

"Hey," she fills the perpetual silence in a daze and an afterthought, "Wanna dance?"

His beverage has long been drained off its container but the surprise still urges him to choke dramatically. He manages an intelligent one-syllable murmur posed with a question mark.

"It's boring just standing in front of the beverage table and who knows if you're turning into a rainbow when you try more of those," she refers to the six empty glasses as the remaining variant of cocktails he has downed and his nape reddens. Who can blame him? He was a bored party gauche, and the contradicting colored drinks seemed interesting enough companies.

"What about the others?" It's a strange anomaly that he is the reminder of their mission. Usually it's Erza because she is just lawful like that, and Lucy because she needs her rent money first and foremost.

She mentions that they are stationed near the entrance and they all will be easily alerted of suspicious infiltration for the dance floor is the center of invitees anyway.

"Trust me," she convinces when she sees him hesitate, "It's the part I love most in balls and perhaps the only one. Come on."

There's a thin difference between expertise and love, he grunts, but sights the staggering twinkle in her eyes and wonders for a while if she misses her parents, or her old home, or parties with the same theme at a different time with different people.

"I can only do awkward tree-dancing," he warns her seriously.

Lucy only lets out a tinkering laugh, pulls him where couples assemble—in which light melodies he just notices curl the loudest—and suddenly he is aware of her arms on his stiff shoulder, his automatic hands on her waist, the stray strand of her upped blond, the pearly skin where her bubbly sleeves lower into pastel and lilac, hugging her figure and accenting the flecks of her giddy eyes.

Heat creeps where she touches and he breaths in too sweet vanilla, yet when she guides him to twirl and dip and smile, he decides that it's a nice kind of stuffy.

.

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><p><strong>an** : if you haven't known, graylu week runs from sept 15-21. check more of it at grayluweek on tumblr, or you can just search the tag :)

~snowdrop03


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